essay question about career goals

Explore Jobs

• Jobs Near Me
• Remote Jobs
• Full Time Jobs
• Part Time Jobs
• Entry Level Jobs
• Work From Home Jobs

Find Specific Jobs

• $15 Per Hour Jobs
• $20 Per Hour Jobs
• Hiring Immediately Jobs
• High School Jobs
• H1b Visa Jobs

Explore Careers

• Business And Financial
• Architecture And Engineering
• Computer And Mathematical

Explore Professions

• What They Do
• Certifications
• Demographics

Best Companies

• Health Care
• Fortune 500

Explore Companies

• CEO And Executies
• Resume Builder
• Career Advice
• Explore Majors
• Questions And Answers
• Interview Questions

Career Goals Essay For Scholarships (With Examples)

• Apply For A Job
• Applying To Multiple Jobs At The Same Company
• Applying for a Job In-Person
• Personal Mission Statement
• Corporate Titles
• Career Goals Essay
• Internal Applicants Only
• Vision Statement

Find a Job You Really Want In

Scholarship programs often want you to write a career goals essay to see that you have a clear plan for how you’ll apply your education to a specific career path. This helps show a scholarship committee why you’re seeking funds for the next step on the path toward your success. Answering “what are your career goals” effectively can help increase your odds of impressing landing a scholarship opportunity. If you’re a prospective student applying for scholarships, this article will provide tips on how to write a career goals essay, along with essays on career goals examples to help you get an idea of what scholarship committees are looking for. Key Takeaways: When you’re writing a career goals essay, make sure to write about the goals that are relevant to the scholarship. Be honest and use your own voice to stand out in your scholarship essay. Go into detail about how the scholarship will help you achieve your goals. In This Article    Skip to section What is a career goals essay? Why scholarship essays ask about career goals Example career goals essay prompts Career goals essay examples Tips for writing a scholarship essay about career goals What to write in a career goals essay if your goals have changed Career goals essay for a scholarship FAQ References Sign Up For More Advice and Jobs Show More What is a career goals essay?

A career goals essay is a personal written explanation that discusses your background, why you’re interested in participating in the program, and what career you’d like this degree to lead into. A scholarship essay functions to explain why you want to achieve your professional goals and how you intend to get there.

In almost every application process, a portion asks the candidate to answer an essay question. When applying to an educational program, like an MBA, the essay prompt usually relates to your career goals .

Why scholarship essays ask about career goals

Scholarship essays ask about career goals to assess your enthusiasm for the program, learn more about how the scholarship will help you, and ensure that you’ve considered how the program will help you achieve your goals for the future:

Assess your enthusiasm. Passion is important for scholarship administrators, and if you’re able to articulate your enthusiasm for a specific career path , it will show that you’re determined to meet the requirements to reach that goal. The most specific and well-thought-out your essay is, the easier it will be for a reader to understand your devotion and commitment to the program and the field it will allow you to enter.

Learn how the scholarship will help you. Having a firm grasp of your career goals is great, but it’s equally important that you express exactly how the specific program relates to those goals. This shows that you’ve researched the merits of the program and understand exactly how it fits into your professional goals.

Show you’ve considered your future. This goes along with the first two points — show that you know how to set goals and consider the path toward achieving those goals, and you’ll have an easier time convincing the reader that you’ll know how to set goals while participating in the program. They’ll see that you know how to prioritize education because you have a clear vision for navigating your career path.

Example career goals essay prompts

While some scholarships might come right out and simply ask, “What are your career goals?” most will rework the question into something different that still accomplishes the same goal.

Below are some examples of career goals essay prompts that a scholarship program could pose to its applicants:

Discuss your career goals. Many scholarships prefer the most direct approach when giving an essay prompt to their applicants. This type of question gives the candidate a lot of wiggle room to discuss their passions, motivations, and career goals.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years ? This question is often used as a prompt for a career goals essay because it gives the applicant a timeline to describe their aspirations. It forces them to be realistic about where their career will be and how they will accomplish this within the next ten years.

How will this scholarship contribute to your professional success? A scholarship committee wants to be sure that the money they’re giving will contribute to a student’s overall professional success. This question asks about the applicant’s game plan in the long-term and evaluates how this program is going to assist in their future.

What is your dream job ? Since a dream job is often categorized as a person’s career goals, this is a common question phrasing in scholarship essays. Asking about a candidate’s dream job answers whether this program aligns with the student’s long-term career goals.

What matters most to you and why? Sometimes, a scholarship essay prompt won’t ask about your career or future at all. Instead, they’ll ask a question like this that assesses your motivations , values, and character.

Career goals essay examples

Use these examples of career goals essays for scholarships to help write your own. Pay special attention to how they’re organized, rather than the content, to inspire your own career goals essay:

Career goals essay example 1 – Discuss your career goals

When I was six years old, I was riding bikes with my older sister around our neighborhood. She had just taught me how to ride, and I was excited to have to freedom to explore with her. When she was rounding a particularly difficult bend to see around, a car happened to be coming along at the same time. It struck her. That bike ride changed our lives forever. Over the next year, I went with my sister every Tuesday and Thursday to her physical therapist ’s appointments to help her regain walking strength. Watching her physical therapist patiently assist my sister back to becoming herself awoken something in me. A passion for helping others in the same way eventually turned into a career goal of becoming a physical therapist myself. I decided to get my bachelor’s degree in exercise science. After graduating in 2019, I knew that the next step for me was to attend a graduate program in physical therapy. I was accepted to Lassell University Master of Science in Rehabilitation Services. This presented me with my latest goal along my career path, and I’m eagerly waiting to start. This scholarship would help me afford the wonderful opportunity to be a part of the Lassell University class of 2023, allowing me to continue working towards my ultimate career goal of becoming a physical therapist and helping others to become themselves again.

Career goals essay example 2 – Where do you see yourself in ten years?

In ten years, I will have been successfully running my own construction business for about five years. I’m currently a second-year student at the University of Texas, pursuing a master’s degree in business administration. I decided to get my MBA because I knew it would be a positive asset toward my long-term career goal of owning a construction business. In my high school years, I worked as a construction apprentice for a local business. I loved many aspects of the business, such as building something from nothing. I knew that I wanted to incorporate this work into my long-term career, but I didn’t want to work as an apprentice . This led me to pursue business. In ten years and with the help of this scholarship, I will have graduated with my MBA almost a decade prior . After graduation, I plan to take a business administration internship with a carpentry business to help myself get a footing in the field. After about two years of this, I will have started my own construction business.

Career goals essay example 3 – What matters most to you and why?

The people I surround myself with matter most to me. Whether it be my relatives, friends, or professional acquaintances, I always care the most about the happiness of the people around me. Making the people around me happy matters the most to me because I truly because we find our happiness through others. I believe that this drive to make a positive impression on the people around me is what drove me towards a career as a nurse . I always thought of hospitals as places where people need someone to support them and make their day a little happier. I wanted to be one of those who spend their careers positively impacting people in need. This scholarship will enable me to finally afford nursing school and go after my dream job full force.

Career goals essay example 4 – What are your short- and long-term career goals, and how will earning this degree contribute to achieving those goals? Please provide a minimum of 200 words.

My short-term career goals involve working directly with underprivileged young people to increase the literacy rate in my community. As a student of an underfunded and understaffed school, I’ve seen firsthand how much of an impact early literacy education makes on long-term achievement. It broke my heart to see my peers embarrassed at their struggle with reading at an advanced age, and this shame added another dimension to their lack of opportunity. Being a literacy educator for young people would allow me to serve this community directly to show them not only the necessity of strong written communication skills, but the joy of reading for pleasure. This program focuses specifically on early literacy, and would provide me a direct route to a career in serving the community I hope to serve. As for long-term career goals, I hope to one day create a program where socioeconomically parents can bring their children for literacy education, not only to increase their ability to navigate the world of language, but also to instill confidence and joy in the written word. What drew me to this program was that it also has administrative, legal, and business dimensions that would set me on the path toward achieving this goal.

Tips for writing a scholarship essay about career goals

Here are some tips to keep in mind for writing a career goals scholarship essay:

Write about goals relevant to the scholarship. Although you may have many different kinds of goals for your personal and professional future, a scholarship essay only discusses objectives that are relevant to the program you’re applying for.

Be honest. Applying for a scholarship is stressful because the applicant’s education is usually reliant on receiving these funds in one way or another. Even though it’s tempting to exaggerate your skills or pretend you’re more passionate about something than you are to make yourself a more competitive applicant, it’s a bad move.

Use your own, unique voice. The essay portion of a scholarship application is your chance to stand out by using your voice. Nobody else, regardless of their academic or professional achievements, is you. Make this clear in your career goals scholarship essay by keeping your unique written voice engrained in the words you produce.

Be specific. A big reason that scholarship committees ask applicants to write a career goals essay is to determine how prepared they are in planning their long-term professional goals. They aren’t interested in providing a scholarship to students who aren’t going to follow through with their career plans.

Explain long and short-term goals . Even if the essay prompt asks you to describe where you see yourself in ten years, you still need to tell them the steps leading towards this picture of success.

Include the short-term goals that add up to your larger career objectives in your essay response. Explain how accomplishing the smaller goals gives you an advantage when tackling long-term ones.

Explain how the program and scholarship will help you. Before writing your career goals essay, consider how this program and scholarship will help you in your career. The answer to this question is essential.

Follow the essay formatting guidelines. This may sound obvious, but it’s surprisingly easy to forget this step when your essay is finally flowing and when you’re scrambling to get it submitted on time.

Check, double-check , and triple-check the essay guidelines for content, word count, and formatting requirements. If you miss any of these steps, your essay may be immediately disqualified no matter how good it or the rest of your application is.

What to write in a career goals essay if your goals have changed

Many times career goals essays are written by students who have already completed at least some college or are applying to a post-graduate program and need more money to continue.

There’s a good chance that your career goals have changed since you started or graduated college. For example, say you wanted to be an engineer , so you got your undergraduate degree in engineering but realized you didn’t like it after working in the industry for a few years.

You decided that nursing would be more up your alley, and now you’re applying for a scholarship for a nursing program. While this isn’t unusual, it can make it more difficult to write a career goals essay since your past work doesn’t necessarily match your future goals.

In this case, you’ll simply need to explain why you changed your career path and why this next one is the best choice for you. Share your decision-making process to show that you haven’t taken the switch lightly, and talk about what you’ve already done to try to pursue this path.

Career goals essay for a scholarship FAQ

How do you write a career goal for a scholarship essay?

You write a career goal for a scholarship essay by sharing your passion, explaining both your long- and short-term goals, and relating your goals to the scholarship.

Explain why you want to pursue the career you’re pursuing, where you hope to be in the future and how you plan to get there, and how the scholarship will help you do this.

How do you describe your career goals in an essay?

You describe your career goals in an essay by explaining what you want to do in your career, why you decided on this career path, and what you’ve done so far to make that a reality.

You can usually work these factors into any prompt you receive, so think through them before you start writing so that you can use them as an outline of sorts.

What are career goals examples?

Examples of career goals include:

Working as a grant writer for a nonprofit organization.

Becoming a department manager and eventually an executive in your field.

Owning your own plumbing company.

Caring for underserved communities as a nurse practitioner .

What are some goals for success?

Some goals for success include growing in your role, building your network, and finding joy in the job. Most careers don’t just happen overnight and require you to set the right milestones that work best for you. Not everyone will have the same goals for success.

How do you start a career goals essay for a scholarship?

You can start a career goals essay for a scholarship by directly answering the prompt. Most scholarship prompts include a word count of between 200 and 500 words, so it’s essential that you immediately respond to the prompt. Attention-grabbing sentences and narratives can be helpful for setting the scene, but an efficient and direct answer will show a clarity of mind that helps enhance the quality of your answer.

BLS – Career planning for high schoolers

How useful was this post?

Click on a star to rate it!

Average rating / 5. Vote count:

No votes so far! Be the first to rate this post.

Sky Ariella is a professional freelance writer, originally from New York. She has been featured on websites and online magazines covering topics in career, travel, and lifestyle. She received her BA in psychology from Hunter College.

Related posts

How To End A Professional Email: Best Sign-Offs And Closings

How To Respond To A Recruiter Email (With Examples)

How To Get A Job You’re Not Qualified For In 5 Easy Steps

How To Write A Letter Of Intent For A Job (With Examples)

• Career Advice >
• Apply For Jobs >
• Application >

Essay About Career Goals: Top 5 Examples and 3 Prompts

Career goals are milestones that demonstrate your development. Read some examples for inspiration to write a thought-provoking essay about career goals. 

Why might you need to write an essay about your career goals? When applying for universities, internships, and full-time jobs, you may be asked about your plans for the future. This helps the company or individual decide whether you are a good fit for the position.

Setting career goals can start with making a vision board, jotting down your aspirations, or even telling loved ones about them. There is no need to start big; it can be as simple as learning a new language or skill. It’s the process that counts, and the process can be ongoing and will likely lead you to identify further goals. 

If you want or need to write an essay about career goals, here are some examples to give you inspiration and some prompts to help you choose your own approach to the essay.

1. My career goals changed after uni, and that’s okay by Hazel M.

2. how my career goals & self-perception have changed now that i’m in my 30s by audrey gonzalez, 3. how to keep your career goals on track by clare whitmell, 4. my dad scorns my career goals. how do i keep us from falling out by annalisa barbieri, 5. why career plans are not always the answer by melody wilding, top 5 writing prompts on essay about career goals, 1. what are the benefits of having a solid set of career goals, 2. should you disregard others’ input when setting career goals, 3. when it comes to career goals, is there a blueprint to success, 4. guidance on setting career goals in the education sector, 5. does the socioeconomic status of an area affect the career goals of a population.

“If life has taught me anything, it’s that planning too far in advance can be more troublesome than it’s worth. I still have 30 years left before retirement and I’m open to anything – who knows? Maybe that editor job will happen after all. The most important thing, however, is not to be disappointed if it doesn’t; to appreciate the here and now, and pause long enough to look at how far you’ve already come. So, if your plan doesn’t pan out (or several years in you realise it might not be for you), that’s okay. You haven’t failed or disappointed anyone, you’ve just taken a different path. Chances are, you’re exactly where you need to be.”

Here the author describes how different her life is compared to how she envisioned it in her youth. When establishing her career goals, she planned to work as the editor of a national newspaper; however, she is not dissatisfied with the path her life has taken. 

Hazel M. initially pursued her goals by moving to London but soon realized she preferred a different location and a line of work she could manage independently. Setting goals for the future is always sensible, but never be afraid to choose a different path if you feel your current route is not working. The author demonstrates that choosing goals is a fluid and ongoing process. For more inspiration, see these articles about achievements .

“When I think back over the last decade, it’s a little weird to recognize just how much I’ve changed, both in my attitude toward my career and my perception of myself. I’ve gone from coasting along with whatever job pays the bills to actively broadening my marketable skills, and from constantly second-guessing my adulthood to being adult enough to say I don’t know, but I will soon .”

Similar to the previous essay, Gonzalez details how her life has deviated from her original plans. She realizes she was only doing jobs to stay financially stable and that her career goals were not as well-thought-out as she had believed. She also began to see herself as an adult rather than a mere student or an intern. 

Finally, Gonzalez realized that by taking a more proactive approach, bolstering her existing skills, and learning new ones, she could access broader and more rewarding opportunities. Gonzalez’s essay perfectly shows how career goals should not only be about money.

Looking for more? Check out these essays about work .

“Persistent effort and the willpower to stay the course are the fundamentals for achieving any sort of change. But you’ll also need a strategy for staying motivated when you experience setbacks and obstacles. Learn from these and use them as a spur to change what isn’t working rather than allowing them to chip away at your self-confidence.”

Whitmell gives readers tips on how to formulate career goals that are targeted, measurable, realistic, and achievable in a given timeframe. An essential piece of advice she gives is to have a positive mindset and be confident in yourself. 

Being determined, confident, and optimistic will help you bounce back from whatever setbacks you may encounter at any point in your career. And we all experience setbacks; however, they must be viewed as an opportunity for growth and part of the learning curve. You might also be wondering, why write goals down?

“Your dad may never understand you in the way you want, but that shouldn’t result in a broken relationship. He should respect your choices, because they will be the building blocks of your life, not his. You are a whole different person from him, with your own fears and hopes. These are worthy of discussion.”

Barbieri responds to a reader at odds with her father over her career goals in this article. The author recommends finding the right time for the reader to talk to her father and finding common ground regarding the reader’s career goals. These goals reflect her passions, and even if her father disagrees with them, he should at least respect them. 

“The idea of a five-year plan is so popular because it promises certainty –– that if we follow a linear path to success, happiness will follow. But trying to predict the future is a losing battle. It’s impossible to know what your priorities will be a few years from now, let alone the opportunities you’ll be presented with.”

In her article, Wilding writes about how strict career goals are not always beneficial. She discusses how they can leave you obsessed and “stuck” trying to fulfill these goals. She also provides insight on how to plan your career, including pursuing your passions, using failure for improvement, and not looking too far into the future. 

Having career goals can help you feel prepared for the future. But what good does it do? Discuss the benefits of setting career goals. Include the drawbacks of having a fixed plan too early and the importance of revisiting it incrementally. Remember, your dreams and aspirations will change as you progress through life, and your goals should accommodate this.

We have heard about basing career goals on “what you want.” However, should you still listen to the opinions of others, such as your parents, as is the dilemma in Barbieri’s essay? Or should you follow your gut? The people closest to us know us well and sometimes better than we know ourselves. How do we choose when to take advice and when to follow our instincts. You can include career advice services offered to teenagers and school leavers. This advice is sometimes based on a snapshot of a person by an unfamiliar advisor. Is this advice valid?

Explore the process of developing career goals. Look at the examples of recognizable entrepreneurs and compare the steps they took to develop and achieve their goals. Are there similarities between their methods? Is it possible for someone to take a blueprint to success and apply it to their own career path?

Analyze the current system for helping students develop career goals within your country or state and compare it with other countries. Look at the most effective strategies and back them up with statistical data. How are we teaching young people to plan for their future, and is there scope for improvement? You can include your personal experiences of career support for comparison.

Pick a locality, region, or country and assess the socioeconomic status. Then discuss how this may affect the aspirations of the population, particularly those leaving education. You might consider populations dominated by industries such as mining or manufacturing. Does the nature of the environment hamper potential or does it fuel determination to achieve alternative career options. Include some examples of your findings.

Check out our guide packed full of transition words for essays .

If you are interested in learning more, check out our essay writing tips !

• Search All Scholarships
• Exclusive Scholarships
• Easy Scholarships to Apply For
• No Essay Scholarships
• Scholarships for HS Juniors
• Scholarships for HS Seniors
• Scholarships for College Students
• Scholarships for Grad Students
• Scholarships for Women
• Scholarships for Black Students
• Scholarships
• Student Loans
• College Admissions
• Financial Aid
• Scholarship Winners
• Scholarship Providers

Student-centric advice and objective recommendations

Higher education has never been more confusing or expensive. Our goal is to help you navigate the very big decisions related to higher ed with objective information and expert advice. Each piece of content on the site is original, based on extensive research, and reviewed by multiple editors, including a subject matter expert. This ensures that all of our content is up-to-date, useful, accurate, and thorough.

Our reviews and recommendations are based on extensive research, testing, and feedback. We may receive commission from links on our website, but that doesn’t affect our editors’ opinions. Our marketing partners don’t review, approve or endorse our editorial content. It’s accurate to the best of our knowledge when posted. You can find a complete list of our partners here .

How to Write a “How Will This Scholarship Help You Achieve Your Goals” Essay

Zach Skillings is the Scholarships360 Newsletter Editor. He specializes in college admissions and strives to answer important questions about higher education. When he’s not contributing to Scholarships360, Zach writes about travel, music, film, and culture. His work has been published in Our State Magazine, Ladygunn Magazine, The Nocturnal Times, and The Lexington Dispatch. Zach graduated from Elon University with a degree in Cinema and Television Arts.

Learn about our editorial policies

Caitlyn Cole is a college access professional with a decade of experience in non-profit program and project management for college readiness and access organizations.

Maria Geiger is Director of Content at Scholarships360. She is a former online educational technology instructor and adjunct writing instructor. In addition to education reform, Maria’s interests include viewpoint diversity, blended/flipped learning, digital communication, and integrating media/web tools into the curriculum to better facilitate student engagement. Maria earned both a B.A. and an M.A. in English Literature from Monmouth University, an M. Ed. in Education from Monmouth University, and a Virtual Online Teaching Certificate (VOLT) from the University of Pennsylvania.

When applying for scholarships, you may be asked to write an essay describing why you’re the right candidate for the award. One of the most common prompts for this type of essay is “how will this scholarship help you achieve your goals?” In this guide, we’ll talk about how you can put together an outstanding essay and win the scholarship of your dreams. 

Also see: Top writing and essay scholarships

Tips for writing a scholarship essay

There’s more than one way to write an essay like this, but an effective response usually does the following things: 

• Clearly defines your goals and how you plan to achieve them
• Provides some background context on your goals 
• Explains why you are a quality candidate for the scholarship 
• Close your essay in an effective way 

As long as you touch on these three areas, feel free to structure your essay however you see fit. Let’s talk about how you can address each of these components and put together a stellar essay. 

1. Define your goals 

Scholarship providers want to hear about your vision for your future self and how you plan to get there. As such, you should write about what you want out of your college education and beyond. It’s totally okay if you’re undecided about your major or career path since most scholarship providers won’t expect your plan to be set in stone at this point. However, you should still point to the fields of study or professions you’re considering right now. When talking about your plan for the future, explain how the specific scholarship is a key part of your path forward. And don’t forget to let your passion shine through when writing about your goals!

Apply to these exclusive scholarships

$10,000 “No Essay” Scholarship

“College Here I Come” Essay Scholarship for High School Seniors

“Broad Horizons” Scholarship for High School Juniors

“Making Waves” Scholarship for Women

“Tuition Solution” Scholarship for STEM Students

“A Helping Hand” Scholarship

2. provide background context .

Your essay should not only outline your goals, but explain how you arrived at them as well. One of the best ways to do this is by sharing a personal story. You may even want to lead with a personal story to immediately grab the attention of your reader. For this type of essay, you should share an anecdote that’s relevant to the scholarship you’re applying for. 

If you’re applying for an engineering scholarship , for instance, you could describe how your love of engineering was sparked by your involvement in the robotics club. Students pursuing art scholarships may talk about the most meaningful project they’ve ever created. Whatever the case may be, find a way to connect your background to your goals and the scholarship. You’re much more likely to stand out when you demonstrate who you are and what you care about. 

Don’t miss: What’s the best scholarship essay format?

3. Make a case for yourself

Now that you’ve outlined your goals and the inspiration behind them, it’s time to explain why you’re the perfect candidate for this scholarship. Tie everything together by describing how the scholarship is a crucial piece of the puzzle. The goal here is to sell yourself while avoiding coming across as boastful or arrogant. Try to strike a tone that’s self-assured but also appreciative. You want to convey your gratitude and respect for the scholarship, while also demonstrating why you’re the right candidate for the award. 

If the scholarship is specific to a certain college or university, it helps to weave in your excitement for the school. Talk about unique aspects of the school such as courses that interest you or faculty members you’d like to work with. Ultimately, you want to do everything you can to leave a lasting impression on your reader. 

4. Close your essay in a memorable way

It was important to grab your reader’s attention in the beginning of your essay response, now it’s time to close your essay in a memorable way! This can be done in different ways, including ending it the way you began it, asking a rhetorical question, or summarizing your previous points in one tidy paragraph. Ultimately, it is up to you to decide what format is the best to end your essay in order to leave a lasting mark on your reader. 

Closing your essay in a catchy and memorable way will allow your scholarship response to be well liked and remembered. This can help significantly increase your chances of being selected for a scholarship! Therefore, be sure to brainstorm before writing your essay in order to make sure it flows nicely and you finish your essay with a bang! Learn how to end your scholarship essay in five steps and leave a lasting impression on whoever reads it! 

Also see: How to write an essay about yourself

Remember, an effective scholarship essay answers three main questions:

Questions to consider.

• What are your goals for your college education and career? 
• What life experiences led you to arrive at these goals? 
• How will this scholarship help you unlock your goals, and why are you the right student for the award?

By answering those three questions, you can write a compelling “how will this scholarship help you achieve your goals” essay and put yourself in contention for the scholarship. Just make sure your essay is free of spelling and grammatical mistakes. It’s a good idea to have a teacher or mentor read over your essay before submitting. Good luck!

Top Easy Scholarships of September 2024

June 30, 2025

Jun 30, 2025

Easy scholarship open to all US-based high school, college, community college and graduate students.

$2,000 Sallie Mae Scholarship

September 30, 2024

Sep 30, 2024

Easy $2,000 monthly scholarship. No essay or account sign-ups, just a simple scholarship for those seeking help paying for school!

Niche $25,000 “No Essay” Scholarship

Easy scholarship open to all high school and college students, as well as anyone looking to attend college or graduate school in the next year!

Key Takeaways

• An effective essay response includes defining your goals, providing background context, making a case for yourself, and concluding your essay in a memorable way
• Leading with a personal story is a great way to immediately grab the attention of your reader
• It is important to highlight how the scholarship will help you personally reach your goals and succeed 
• Be sure to end your essay in a memorable way to help increase your chances of being selected for the scholarship

3 reasons to join scholarships360

• Automatic entry to our $10,000 No-Essay Scholarship
• Personalized matching to thousands of vetted scholarships
• Quick apply for scholarships exclusive to our platform

By the way...Scholarships360 is 100% free!

Which program are you applying to?

Accepted Admissions Blog

Everything you need to know to get Accepted

February 29, 2024

• Writing Your Career Goals Essay

Check out all the blog posts in this series:

• Identifying the Ingredients of a Winning Essay
• Finding a Theme for Your Statement of Purpose
• Revise and Polish Your Application Essays

Your career goals essay demands a laser-like focus. A personal statement, by contrast, allows for some flexibility in its content, though you can – and often should – discuss your career goals. But a career goals essay has a particular and packed agenda. In fact, the prompt for a career goals essay could actually include multiple questions, and in such cases, you want to make sure you address each of them.

For example, in 2022, Kellogg asked applicants to its one-year program to respond to the following prompt: “Please discuss your post-MBA career goal, the current experience you will leverage to support the transition, and the Kellogg 1Y opportunities that will help you reach this goal.” 

This prompt has three parts: (1) What do you want to do post-MBA ? (2) Why is the 1Y program appropriate for you? And (3) what experience has so far prepared you to succeed in your target role? 

So, always pay close attention to your target school’s prompt to ensure that you answer all the questions within its “single” question. 

Three elements of a successful career goals essay

In addition to having a distinct theme , your career goals essay should achieve the following:

• Highlight specific career achievements. Choose from your most notable or defining experiences. These could be related to your work, community involvement, or extracurricular activities. The experiences you select should showcase your leadership skills , creative thinking, collaborative abilities, and personal reflections about what you learned or gained.
• Explain why your experiences and influences make your career goal a logical and wise choice.
• Demonstrate why you are suited to a particular field as a result of your education, experience, abilities, and enthusiasm. Ideally, the material you choose to include will also allow you to prove your knowledge about industry trends and suggest how your abilities and strengths can help you contribute to that field.

It’s a very tall order to achieve all this.

Putting these elements together to create your goals essay

Let’s take a look at a sample MBA Goals Essay and see how these three key elements are incorporated.  

You should be able to easily recognize why the writer’s opening is attention-getting for all the right reasons. The writer introduces herself as the supremely busy executive she visualizes becoming in the future. She trades large amounts of stock, rushes off to a Zoom conference, hurries downstairs, flags down a taxi, then hops on a plane. As she describes this whirlwind of activity, we can practically feel her heart pumping.

After establishing her voice and personality in this opening, she offers context for her MBA goal. Notice that in writing about her work as an accountant for a major firm, she provides relevant details, including how many years she has been in the field, her bilingualism, and her specialty area as an auditor. This information is her springboard to explain why she is pursuing an MBA: she’s bursting out of her limited role as an accountant. Her eyes and ambition are set on a larger playing field as an international investment manager.

Write an essay, not a list or CV

Outstanding career goals essays are not lists of an applicant’s roles and achievements. Instead, they have a narrative flow and arc that convey the candidate’s palpable excitement about their career choice. This writer’s enthusiastic, dreamy first paragraph achieves this, and she returns to that image at the end, where she paints her idealized (if frantically busy) future. She also proves her seriousness by noting that she registered for the CFA exam.

Connect your career goals to your reasons for choosing a particular program

Many essay questions, especially those for MBA programs , will ask why you have chosen the school you’re applying to. Be prepared to respond knowledgeably and enthusiastically. And the only way to become knowledgeable – and enthusiastic – is by visiting campus in-person or virtually, attending student recruitment meetings, participating in forums, reading student blogs, watching videos of students speaking about their experiences, communicating directly with students and/or recent alumni, and otherwise doing your homework. As part of your research, make sure you have familiarized yourself with the courses and specializations that are relevant to your goals.

Summary Tips

• Focus on answering each and every question asked in a career goals essay prompt. Often, there is more than one.
• Highlight specific achievements vividly and in a way that shows that your career choice is logical for you.
• Do the research so you can write about why the school is a good fit for you and do so with genuine enthusiasm.

In the next post in this series , we’ll explain how to take all this advice and apply it to create an exemplary first draft.

Work one-on-one with an expert who will walk you through the process of creating a slam-dunk application. Check out our full catalog of application services . Our admissions consultants have read thousands of essays and know the exact ingredients of an outstanding essay.

By Judy Gruen, former Accepted admissions consultant. Judy holds a master’s in journalism from Northwestern University. She is also the co-author of Accepted’s first full-length book, MBA Admission for Smarties: The No-Nonsense Guide to Acceptance at Top Business Schools . Want an admissions expert help you get accepted? Click here to get in touch!

Related resources:

• The Winning Ingredients of a Dynamic MBA Goals Essay , a free guide
• Grad School Personal Statement Examples
• Focus on Fit , podcast Episode 162

About Us Press Room Contact Us Podcast Accepted Blog Privacy Policy Website Terms of Use Disclaimer Client Terms of Service

Accepted 1171 S. Robertson Blvd. #140 Los Angeles CA 90035 +1 (310) 815-9553 © 2022 Accepted

• Applying For Scholarships

Essay: How Will This Scholarship Help You Achieve Your Goals? (With Example) – 2023

Jennifer Finetti May 23, 2023

Get our best scholarship practices, insights & tips delivered to your inbox

Thank you for subscribing!

Many scholarship applicants often have to write a “How will this scholarship help you achieve your goals” essay. This gives the scholarship committee an understanding of how the scholarship will help students pursue their goals.

Needless to say, the essay is very important for the scholarship application. This is where students can show off their personality. Students should make sure to write a unique composition which answers the essay question.

Think About Your Goals

It can be challenging to think about what your goals are after college. This is especially true if you haven’t decided on a major and have no idea what you want to study.

If you find yourself struggling to determine what your career goals are, try brainstorming before you start writing. Think of what your short-term and long-term goals are and write them down. What skills do you need to achieve these goals?

The fastest path to earning scholarships

Simplify and focus your application process with the one-stop platform for vetted scholarships.

Writing Tips – Getting Started

When starting to write your essay , make sure you open with a catchy introduction. This can be a question, an anecdote or a personal story. You want to grab your reader’s interest right away. Start with something unique, rather than using a generic sentence that any other student can use.

Explain the Inspiration Behind Your Goals

You’ll then want to explain the inspiration behind your goals. What led you to want to pursue these goals? What experiences have you had in life which have influenced you and your dreams?

Discuss Your Goals

After discussing your past experiences, talk about your education and career goals . Do you have a major? How will it help you achieve your goals?

Do you have long-term goals you can talk about? The scholarship provider doesn’t expect you to have long-term goals set in stone so don’t worry if you don’t. Instead, you can write about how you wish to impact others.

Make a Creative Conclusion

In your conclusion paragraph, you should summarize the major points in your essay.  Then finish with a closing thought. You should try to make it creative and unique. You want to leave a lasting impression on the reader.

After you finish writing your essay, make sure you proofread it several times. The last thing you’d want to do is turn in an essay with grammar mistakes.

Scholarship Goals Essay Example

It was November, 2016, a few days before Thanksgiving. My class took a field trip to a soup kitchen to serve lunch. I poured piping hot soup into bowls while people started to fill the room. It was a great way to warm up on the frigid November day. Their eyes seemed empty and sad. “Happy Thanksgiving” we said to one another, as our eyes locked.

A few days later, as I sat surrounded by family, turkey, gravy and pumpkin pie, I couldn’t help but feel like something wasn’t right. Why was I so fortunate to have access to all this food? I thought of the people from the soup kitchen and wondered where they were. I knew right then and there that my purpose in life was to help people.

I returned to the soup kitchen as a volunteer a week later, and a week after that.

I envisioned the realm of possibilities for these people. “I would connect him with a rehab program, her with daycare for her baby so she could find work,” I thought to myself while volunteering. I have dreams of one day being able to help people make changes in their lives.

For this reason, I will be starting my undergraduate degree in social work at Boston University in the fall. I am certain that my studies will instill within me the skills and knowledge I need to pursue a career as a social worker. I hope to be able to help those who are less privileged find hope in their lives.

This scholarship will help me achieve my educational and career goals. I have been working hard to save up for college, but with the exorbitant costs of tuition, my part-time jobs haven’t been enough. I am planning to work during my undergraduate degree, but I do wish to focus a lot of my time on my studies. This scholarship will help by lowering the costs of college and the amount of hours I’ll need to work throughout my studies. This way, I’ll be able to continue with my academic achievements. It will also give me time to find an internship. I am hoping to find an internship at a homeless shelter in the Boston area.

It has been two and a half years since I first walked into that soup kitchen. That day without a doubt has changed the course of my life. My experiences there, talking with people and hearing their stories, have instilled within me a passion to help people make positive changes in their lives. This scholarship will allow me to pursue the education I need to achieve my goals.

• Scholarship Essay

Jennifer Finetti

As a parent who recently helped her own kids embark on their college journeys, Jennifer approaches the transition from high school to college from a unique perspective. She truly enjoys engaging with students – helping them to build the confidence, knowledge, and insight needed to pursue their educational and career goals, while also empowering them with the strategies and skills needed to access scholarships and financial aid that can help limit college costs. She understands the importance of ensuring access to the edtech tools and resources that can make this process easier and more equitable - this drive to support underserved populations is what drew her to ScholarshipOwl. Jennifer has coached students from around the world, as well as in-person with local students in her own community. Her areas of focus include career exploration, major selection, college search and selection, college application assistance, financial aid and scholarship consultation, essay review and feedback, and more. She works with students who are at the top of their class, as well as those who are struggling. She firmly believes that all students, regardless of their circumstances, can succeed if they stay focused and work hard in school. Jennifer earned her MA in Counseling Psychology from National University, and her BA in Psychology from University of California, Santa Cruz.

Related Stories View All

From Zero to Hero – in a Jiffy: How one student earned a $10,000 scholarship

Common Scholarship Interview Questions and Answers

Scholarships for Children of Veterans

Get started with scholarshipowl.

Simplify and focus your application process with the one-stop platform for vetted scholarships

• Essay Editor

How to Write an Essay About My Goal: A Comprehensive Guide

In the ever-evolving journey of life, setting clear objectives and ambitions is crucial. Whether these goals are short-term or stretch into the far reaches of our future, they act as guiding lights in our journey. This guide will assist you in articulating and expressing these ambitions effectively, especially when it comes to writing them down.

Understanding the Importance of Goal Setting

Setting life goals is a combination of introspection and foresight. It demands an understanding of one's current standing and a clear vision for the future. By penning down your goals, you not only provide yourself a clear road map but also make a commitment to yourself to achieve them.

How To Write An Essay About My Life Goals

• Introduction : Initiate with an engaging hook—be it a quote, question, or anecdote—that aligns with your goal.
• State your main goal : Elucidate on what your primary life objective is. Be it professional success, personal achievement, or societal contribution, clarify your aim.
• The 'Why' behind the goal : Delve into your motivations. Discuss the driving forces behind this ambition.
• Steps to achieve : Provide a roadmap. Enumerate the steps you'd undertake to transform this goal into a reality.
• Potential Challenges : Highlight potential obstacles and your strategies to navigate them.
• Conclusion : Summarize and re-emphasize your dedication towards your objective.

Career Goal Essay Definition

It's essential to differentiate between life goals and career goals. While the former encompasses broader objectives, a career goal essay underscores your professional aspirations, detailing why they matter and how you plan to attain them.

How Long is a Professional Goal Statement?

A professional goal statement's length can vary but should be concise. Ranging typically from 500 to 1000 words, it should capture your aspirations succinctly. Always adhere to specific guidelines if provided.

What to Avoid While Writing Your Career Goal Essay

• Ambiguity: Always be specific. • Unsubstantiated lofty goals: Your ambitions should be grounded in reality. • Neglecting personal growth: Showcase how your past has shaped your future. • Reiteration: Stay succinct and steer clear of repetition.

My Future Goals Essay: 12 Models

• Entrepreneurial Aspirations : Launching a sustainable fashion startup by 2030.
• Technological Goals : Developing an AI-driven community healthcare system.
• Educational Objectives : Attaining a Ph.D. in Quantum Physics.
• Artistic Pursuits : Holding a solo art exhibition in a renowned gallery.
• Societal Contributions : Establishing a foundation for underprivileged children's education.
• Scientific Aspirations : Contributing to renewable energy research.
• Medical Goals : Becoming a pediatric surgeon and researching rare childhood diseases.
• Travel Objectives : Visiting every UNESCO World Heritage site.
• Sports Ambitions : Completing an Ironman Triathlon.
• Literary Goals : Publishing a trilogy of fantasy novels.
• Environmental Aims : Pioneering a city-wide recycling initiative.
• Leadership Aspirations : Becoming the CEO of a Fortune 500 company.

Articulating one's life and career goals requires introspection, clarity, and foresight. This guide offers a structured blueprint to ensure your essay not only adheres to academic standards but genuinely resonates with your aspirations and dreams. Whether you're grappling with questions like "what should I write in my college essay?" or "how to draft a goal statement?", this guide is here to light the way.

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is the ideal structure for a future career essay? Start with an engaging introduction about your aspirations. In the body, detail the steps you plan to take, experiences that have guided you, and why you chose this career. End with a conclusion summarizing your determination and future vision.
• How do I ensure my career goals essay stands out? Incorporate personal stories or experiences that shaped your goals. Be specific about your aspirations and how you plan to achieve them.
• How can I relate my past experiences to my future career in the essay? Highlight skills, lessons, or challenges from your past and demonstrate how they have directed or prepared you for your future career.
• What should I avoid when writing an essay about my career goals? Avoid being too vague about your goals. Steer clear of clichés, and ensure your goals are realistic and grounded.
• How long should my essay about my goal be? This depends on the requirement. Usually, personal statements are between 500-700 words. Always adhere to the specified word limit.
• Can I include short-term and long-term goals in my essay? Absolutely! Detailing both shows planning and vision. Highlight how short-term goals will pave the way for long-term objectives.
• How do I conclude my essay about my goals effectively? Reiterate your dedication to these goals, reflect on the journey ahead, and end with a note of optimism and determination.

Related articles

Discussion posts: definition, overview, writing tips.

Discussions are an important part of academic studies. They foster collaboration, raise student engagement, and help to better process new information. A common way to involve students in critical debate is through discussion posts. In this article, you will learn what a discussion post is and how to write it. Discussion post and open forum definition A discussion post is a written reply typically used in online forums – websites that encourage users to engage in a debate over various subject ...

How to Write a Table of Contents for Research Paper: A Complete Guide

After hundreds of hours of non-stop working, the research essay is finished! Unfortunately, it is not the time to celebrate. That’s when you must get down to one of the least pleasant things in professional college or high school writing – a table of contents. The following article will define table of contents, discuss its purpose, and provide guidance on how to make a table of contents for a research paper. What is a research paper table of contents? Academic essays can be from 2–3 to hundr ...

Top Proven Tips on How to Make Homework Fun

Everyone agrees that school would be much cooler if there were no homework. Alas, this is an impossible wish. Luckily, no one stops us from making it fun! In this article, you will find some awesome tips on how to make homework fun. 1. Create a comfortable study space Having a separate place where you can study is very important. Sure, you might think sitting on a couch with a laptop in your lap is as fun as it can get, but in reality, it may hinder your progress. Your brain knows that the co ...

Why Homework Is Good for Students: 20 No-Nonsense Reasons

Is homework beneficial in education? It has long been a cornerstone, often sparking debates about its value. Some argue it creates unnecessary stress, while others assert it’s essential for reinforcing in-class learning. Why is homework important? The reality is, that homework is vital for students' personal and academic growth. It not only improves their grasp of the material but also develops crucial skills that extend well beyond the classroom. This review explores 20 reasons why homework is ...

How to Write a History Essay: A Guideline for Non-Historians

History is a difficult discipline, no one can argue with that. It is especially challenging to write a history essay when you have zero historian bone in your body. That’s why today our goal is to teach you how to write a history essay. What is history essay? A historical paper is a classic instance of a scholarly work that seeks to examine and give answers to questions about long-gone factual incidents and their consequences. Unlike a simple narrative or description, a history paper demands ...

Top 5 Creative Book Report Ideas That Guarantee Success in Class

Assigned reading helps students develop their critical analysis skill, and book reports test their progress. But it is not enough to simply analyze a literary work — you also need to express your creativity while presenting book report ideas. In this article, you will learn the definition of a literary report, its purpose, and five alternative book report ideas to show off your creativity in class. What is a book (literary) report? A book report is an overall summary and personal assessment o ...

Top 10 Excuses for Not Doing Homework: How to Trick Your Teacher in 2024

Whether it’s because you’re buried in other commitments or just had a seriously off day, finding credible excuses for not doing homework can save your day. Here's a brief look at the top 10 homework excuses, with tips on making them sound as true as possible. Just remember, use these wisely and try to stay on top of your assignments! 1. “My computer crashed right before I finished” In today’s digital world, technology problems are a plausible justification. Claiming that your laptop glitched ...

Best Places to Do Homework That Will Create a Perfect Study Heaven for You

Are you wondering, ‘Where can I go to do homework?’ Finding the ideal spot for studying can significantly affect your productivity and overall study experience. Whether you're a student seeking solace or someone looking for a change of scenery, selecting the right environment is key to maximizing your efficiency and focus. In this guide, we’ll discover various places to do homework that can transform your study routine into a more engaging and effective experience. The Importance of Having a C ...

Your Trusted Advisors for Admissions Success

Admissions and test prep resources to help you get into your dream schools

How to Write An Outstanding Career Goals Essay for MBA Programs

A step-by-step approach to conquering the most important part of your mba application, with a full-length career goals essay example worthy of harvard business school.

Part 1: What is the career goals essay?

Part 2: how to define your career goals, part 3: how to write a career goals essay, part 4: career goals essay outline, part 5: career goals essay example .

Just as your undergraduate admissions application most likely required you to write a “personal statement,” at the center of almost every MBA application packet is the career goals essay. It can take on many different forms through varying prompts and word count requirements, but the approach to this seminal portion of your MBA application remains the same. No matter which programs you’re applying to, the career goals essay is your chance to explain why you’re applying to business school in the first place.

And, more broadly, this is your chance to demonstrate passion. The dirty little secret to MBA “goals essays” is that no one follows up with you in the future to see if you actually accomplished the goal you wrote about. Did you, for instance, really start that ethically sourced pants company? Did you successfully develop boutique exercise gyms? Start a niche media company? Whatever the goal, the most important aspect of your stated plan is that your choice proves you have a passion for a certain field, and that you’re dedicated to making big changes in that field.   

Much of the MBA is geared toward inviting you to explore new avenues of interest; so, not only is it possible for your goal to change over the course of your MBA educational experience, but it’s expected to.

Why, then, do these programs make such a big deal about your current goal if it’s expected to change? Admissions committees want to know that you’re passionate about something. They want to see how you think about the world, what problems you’ve identified in existing systems, and how you plan to solve them in order to effect long-lasting change. 

They want to see that you have set out to achieve a vision. The vision can change, but it’s imperative that you’re the type of person who has a vision in the first place. That’s the goal of this essay. Show your passion for accomplishing a vision. Show that your engine is revved–that there’s a fire under your feet.

Take a look at a few of the ways top MBA programs word their career goals essay prompts below:

Harvard Essay 1: As we review your application, what more would you like us to know as we consider your candidacy for the Harvard Business School MBA program? (No word-limit)

This prompt seems frighteningly open ended, but Harvard Business School (HBS) is being a little sneaky. The HBS admissions committee doesn’t want you to tell them just anything, as their one-and-only essay prompt might appear at first glance. They want to know why you’re applying, and your answer should center around your long-term goal.

Though there’s no word limit listed, based on our experience working with past successful applicants, you should aim for 750-1000 words. An essay over 1,000 words can bog down a reader, but an essay that’s fewer than 750 words–at least for the HBS application, where this essay is the only chance you have to impress the admissions committee–risks not being robust enough to prove your case that you , amongst thousands of others, deserve a spot in the HBS class.  

With the exception of HBS, most schools don’t disguise their prompts as general personal essays. Most ask you explicitly about your goals. For example:

Columbia Essay 1: Through your resume and recommendations, we have a clear sense of your professional path to date. What are your career goals over the next 3-5 years and what, in your imagination, would be your long term dream job? (Word limit: 500 words)

NYU Stern Essay 1: What are your short and long-term career goals? How will the MBA help you achieve them? (500 word maximum, double-spaced, 12-point font)

Chicago Booth Essay 1: How will the Booth MBA help you achieve your immediate and long-term post-MBA career goals? (250 word minimum)

LBS Essay 1: What are your post-MBA goals and how will your prior experience and the London Business School programme contribute towards these? (500-word limit)

U. Penn Wharton Essay 1: What do you hope to gain professionally from the Wharton MBA? (500 words)

With these, your task is clear: Why are you applying? What is your goal?

Other top programs word their career goals essay prompts a little differently. Case in point:

Yale Essay 1: Describe the biggest commitment you have ever made. (500 words)

Stanford Essay 1: What matters most to you, and why? (750 words)

For each of these examples, although your approach might take a slightly different slant depending on the wording, one aspect should be absolutely clear: what do you want to achieve in your career, in the short and long term? The “biggest commitment you’ve ever made” absolutely must tie in with your long-term goal. The thing that “matters most to you” needs to be nearly inseparable from what you want to accomplish in the future. Don’t let the different wordings fool you: these are all career goals essay prompts.

There are a handful of exceptions. In their 2018 application, Duke’s Fuqua program, for example, did not ask its applicants about their goals, but instead asked for a more personality-driven “list” essay calling for 25 “fun facts” about yourself. The University of Michigan’s program only asked explicitly about applicants’ short-term goals. However, chances are, if you’re applying to more than one MBA program, you’re going to have to tackle the “career goals essay.”.

In this article, we’re going to walk you through a step-by-step approach for acing your career goals essay. From identifying the “right goal” (because some goals aren’t the right ones to discuss on your MBA application) to breaking down the essay into its requisite components, to avoiding common pitfalls many applicants make, we’ll show you everything you need to know before you attempt to take a first stab at one of these prompts.

But before we begin, we want to lead with an important caveat. What follows will offer you an excellent, time-tested template for how to write a strong career goals essay. That said, the best essays don’t follow a formula. The absolute best-of-the-best essays find their own form that’s most suitable for the individual essay’s content.

What’s the difference between an MBA ‘career goals essay’ and a ‘personal statement’ I might have written for other applications?

A personal statement, by nature, is personal. It can take on a pretty amorphous shape, and oftentimes the more creative you make it, the better. A personal statement’s purpose is to allow an admissions officer to get to know you as a person.

And while admissions committees want to see who you are as a person, they also want to know who you are as a leader.

This is an important distinction. A personal statement can address whatever you want it to, as long as it allows the reader to get to know you more fully. But the career goals essay is far more pointed. In it, your primary job is to show where you’re headed, why it matters (both to you and to the world) and why you’re the best person for the job.

Business schools want to know what kind of impact you’re going to make on the world. If you can work your personality into the mix while doing so, great, but the “personal” should always come secondary to the essay’s primary focus: your future, and the plan you have to achieve it.

Look up “goal” in your nearest dictionary, and you’ll find a definition somewhere along the lines of “the end toward which effort is dedicated.” What does that mean? Who knows! That’s exactly our point. Forget Merriam Webster’s definition. The MBA goal is a totally different beast.

There are two distinct types of “goals” that the “career goals essays” ask for: the long-term goal and the short-term goal. Below, we’ll break down both goal types to help you identify the “right” goal for each.

The Long-term Goal

The long-term goal is your “big picture” vision. It’s what you see yourself accomplishing ten-plus years down the line from receiving your MBA. This should be the culmination of your life’s work, as you see it from your current vantage point.

There’s really no such thing as a long-term goal that’s “too big,” but there are long-term goals that are too general. You don’t want your long-term goal to be something as broad as “saving the world.” In what way will you save the world? What part of the world will you save?

You want a long-term goal that has a big impact, sure, but your reader also needs to believe that you can achieve it. While you need to exhibit passion for a vision, the MBA admissions committee wants to see that you’re level-headed enough to be able to execute on that passion. They want to see that you’ve made a plan, and that an MBA is an essential next-step in accomplishing that plan.

Your long-term goal also needs to be achievable based on your experience. If you studied finance in college and worked as a banker for the past five years, your long-term goal in this essay should not be about curing cancer.

However, if you, our health-conscious banker, do want to move from finance into a cancer-related field, you might define your long-term goal as “optimizing the existing healthcare field using my business expertise.” You might therefore argue that an MBA can help you expand your existing knowledge base into the underlying business principles behind the healthcare field. In this way, the MBA becomes a crucial part of your plan. 

Below, we’re going to give you a check-list to work your way toward choosing a strong long-term goal, but first let’s understand what exactly a long-term goal should look like.

The easiest way to think about the long-term goal is to consider it a solution to a problem that you’re passionate about. That’s the crux of the formula. Let’s break this down into two general types of long-term goals:

1.)   Solve a problem that affects people through an innovation in a field

This is the long-term goal for the free thinking entrepreneurial type. If your ultimate goal is to start your own company, then this is probably the route you want to take. Let’s say you’re passionate about alleviating world hunger. Maybe you have a history with agriculture start-ups, and you’ve seen first-hand the negative effect poor crop yields have on sub-Saharan African farmers. You’ve gained conviction that creating an NGO focused on tool sharing amongst farmers could increase crop yields. Creating this organization would be an innovation that will solve a problem that you care about. In this case, it could be your long-term goal.

2.)   Capitalize on an inefficiency in a field through existing means

Let’s say you don’t have a groundbreaking new idea. No big deal. Not every MBA applicant needs to start their own company. Instead, you could identify an inefficiency as a problem and propose a solution.

Perhaps you work in the tech industry, and you’re focused on semiconductors. You’ve noticed that your company’s manual engineering process is creating a lag-time for your business’s design cycle. Maybe you want to encourage companies like yours to adopt machine learning technology to free up engineers’ time and resources. That’s a way to solve a problem by addressing a current inefficiency. Facilitating the adoption of machine learning into semiconductor engineering could thereby be your long-term goal.

Notice that both of these “goal types” include solving a problem. Selecting a goal that solves a problem is the easiest and most effective approach to writing the career goals essay.

Let’s be real, though. Often, people apply for MBA programs because they want to make more money or change jobs. And here lies one of the most common mistakes applicants make in the career goals essay. Maybe you’re applying for an MBA to get promoted ahead-of-turn, transition out of your role, or get recruited at a bigger firm. That’s fair. But it’s not the “goal” you write about in this essay.

If this describes you, consider this third approach to the career goals essay.

3.)   Create a narrative around your past experience 

If you don’t already have a big solution or problem in mind, you can reverse engineer one using what you’ve already done in the past.

Think about what you studied in college, the career you’ve had so far, your favorite work projects, any extra-professional activities you’ve devoted your free time to--what connects these experiences? If you followed that through-line all the way to fruition, what would your professional life look like?

For example: let’s say you were premed in college but worked in finance afterward. Your longtime passion has been for science, but your work experience is in distressed debt. The through-line here might be that you enjoy solving problems, whether in the lab at school or on a spreadsheet at work.

A strong “goal” could therefore be going into healthcare administration, where you could combine your science knowledge with your financial training to make an impact in the field.

Through this approach, you take what you care about and what you’ve done so far and spin them together into a big-picture goal that makes sense for your future.

Stress test for choosing your long-term goal 

If you’ve now got your long-term goal in mind, run it through our stress-test below to see if it holds water. If you don’t yet know your goal, try to work your way through this stress-test and see where you land.

The first test accounts for categories 1 and 2, innovation and optimization.

Stress Test 1

1.)   Is there a real-world problem you care deeply about?

a.     What keeps you up at night?

b.     If you could change one thing about the world to make it a better place, what would that change be?

2.)   Does the problem relate to your professional history?

a.     If your answer is “YES,” you have the perfect set-up for your MBA goal. This is the problem you’re going to solve.

3.)   Can you dream up a solution?

a.     What job would allow you to work toward solving the problem above?

                                               i. Starting your own company?

                                             ii. Becoming the CEO of an existing company?

1.     This job role = your Long-term Goal

If you breezed through that stress-test, you’re ready to move on. However, if not…

What if that test didn’t work?

If you snagged at some point in the above stress test, even if it was on the very first point, don’t fret. You can reverse engineer a strong career goals essay goal. Here’s how:

Stress Test 2

1.)   Your area of interest. What field do you work in or hope to work in?

a.     Can you genuinely talk about this field to show that it’s your passion ?

b.     Look back over the things you’ve done in your life, professionally and personally. Is there a through-line?

2.)   What’s the major problem facing your area of interest?

3.)   How might you solve that problem? Can you propose a solution?

a.     Is there a job function that might allow you to work toward solving the major problem facing your area of interest?

                                               i. This job role = your Long-term Goal

To reiterate, the most important takeaway from this section is that your long-term goal isn’t just what you hope to do in the future. A strong long-term goal is a solution to a problem that you’re passionate about.

Before moving on to the short-term goal, let’s take a moment to look at how an example applicant approached this stress test. We’ll use her essay to illustrate many of the points we make throughout this guide. Check her out:

Elinor (our example applicant) studied Evolutionary Biology as an undergraduate, but ultimately realized that practicing science (via a career in medicine, etc.) wasn’t her passion. Instead, what she valued most about her biology education was the rigorous, empirical, and experimental framework it gave her to view the world through. In other words, she valued the education itself, and to learn more about the system of higher education, she pursued a one-year Masters Degree in Education post-undergrad. 

Following her masters in education, Elinor landed a job at the Gates Foundation, where she worked for three years to design and implement cost-effective approaches to increasing classroom learning in rural Indian schools. 

Having worked in educational development financing for some time, Elinor is ready to utilize the expertise she’s acquired from the Gates Foundation in order to make a humanitarian impact on higher education in the US, her lifelong passion.

How would Elinor approach the stress-test in order to land on her ultimate goal? Take a look at her answers to the test below:

Access to education. Elinor believes in higher education—it was the singular force that changed her life for the better—and she feels conviction in the idea that everyone deserves access to this type of education, even those who have to work full-time jobs. In fact, she thinks working and education shouldn’t be mutually exclusive… surely there must be a way to get an education while also supporting yourself and your family and not going into a huge amount of debt… but how? Elinor wants to democratize education , thereby ultimately helping to increase socio-economic mobility and help working class people achieve the same goals as the more privileged class through equal access to education.

2.)   Does problem relate to your professional history?

a.     If you answer is “YES,” you have the perfect set-up for your MBA goal. This is the problem you’re going to solve.

YES! Elinor not only has an extensive academic record, having pursued a Masters in Education, but also the financial wherewithal from years of managing the allocation of educational funds in an international setting to potentially figure out a finance-backed solution to the problem of equal access to higher education in the states.

In fact, in addition to her main job function, she’s recently fostered a collaborative partnership between the Gates Foundation and Deloitte consultants to work with Deloitte’s corporate clients in order to provide corporate grants to employees who would like to attend these universities while continuing to work at the corporation.

Elinor’s most recent work with the Deloitte partnership has inspired her to take this initiative and expand it to a national scale. Her ultimate goal is to create her own venture connecting large corporations with universities to provide alternatives to traditional four-year degrees , thereby allowing working class people to access higher education without taking on loads of debt, and continuing to provide for their families in the process.

This job role = your Long-term Goal

And, with that, Elinor has a problem that she is personally passionate about, has the experience to make her the one to solve it, and has a solution in terms of a future job function. Her long-term goal is therefore sound. She’s ready to move on to…

The short-term goal

Your long-term goal should be big. It’s your big dream. You shouldn’t be able to accomplish your long-term goal right away. Even after your MBA, it should take years and years of professional development to reach your long-term goal. If you can achieve your long-term goal immediately after graduating from an MBA program, it’s not your long-term goal.

For example, say your goal is to alleviate poverty in sub-Saharan Africa by helping farmers access useful agricultural technologies. That’s not something you can do in a day. That’s a life’s work, and there will be many steps you’ll need to take to prepare for such a venture after receiving your MBA.

The thing you’ll do directly following your MBA is your short-term goal . Working at Goldman Sachs or McKinsey are fine short-term goals; so is taking a job at any existing company within your desired field in order to build up your skill set, or even launching a start-up venture that begins to address one aspect of your long-term goal.

The most important thing to consider when isolating your short-term goal is whether it tracks with the long-term goal. The purpose of the short-term goal in a career goals essay is to show that you can make a plan that gets you from point A to point D, where point A is all you’ve accomplished to-date, point B is your MBA, and point D is your long-term goal. That leaves you with point C: your short-term goal.

You want to show through the short-term goal that you understand what it takes to pull off something big. MBA admissions committees aren’t looking for wayward dreamers; they’re looking for future leaders who have what it takes to accomplish something special, and what it takes, pretty much always, is a step-wise approach to professional growth.

The short-term goal showcases your follow-through, your ability to plan, and your ability to be precise about how you’ll position yourself to accomplish your long-term goal.  

A helpful formula for thinking about your short-term goal might be:

The skills you gain from an MBA + the experience you gain from your short-term goal = strong preparation for your long-term goal.

Let’s go back to the world hunger example. If you say your long-term goal is to solve world hunger, but your short-term goal is to work at Goldman Sachs, it’s going to sound a little fishy. This is one of the biggest mistakes applicants make. They set awe-inspiring, impactful long-term goals, but then their short-term goal is to get recruited at top finance or consulting firm.

Let’s be clear: After an MBA, going into finance or consulting is a perfectly reasonable thing to do. In fact, the majority of MBA graduates do it. You’ve just paid a lot of money for a degree, so it’s fair that you want to earn it back.

That said, you need to reconcile your short-term goal with your long term vision. So, you’ll need to specify the type of experience you intend to gain from Goldman that will help you alleviate hunger. Maybe you’ll work as an investment banker to learn the ins-and-outs of raising capital for new businesses, and one day apply this capital-raising expertise to your own developing business aimed at solving world hunger. That tracks. That’s a solid short-term goal.

However, you could strengthen it further by claiming that you aim to take up a position in Goldman’s nonprofit wing to specialize in raising capital for the types of businesses that you eventually want to start. Remember, it’s fine if your plans change. What’s important here is that you prove you have the follow-through required to complete any goal at all, and part of that means proving you’re the type of person who can form a step-wise, sensible plan.  

The best way to think about your short-term goal is to consider it as part of your 10,000 hours of practice leading up to your long-term goal . In your MBA program, you’ll learn a lot of theory and study a lot of real-world business cases. The MBA should prepare you with the skills necessary to accomplish your long-term goal.

However, these skills won’t be fine-tuned or tested in real-world business scenarios. You’ll need to put the iron to the fire, and the “fire,” in this idiom, is your short-term goal. A well-chosen short-term goal allows you to put into practice what you’ve learned through your MBA in order to prepare you for your long-term goal.

Let’s refer back to our example applicant. Elinor knows first-hand about education, and she also knows a lot about financial allocation in an educational setting. However, Elinor has never run a business on her own; so, before Elinor can make her own venture fund that connects universities with corporate support, she’ll need to gain management skills.

She has no idea how to start her own fund or manage workers, but that’s exactly what she can gain through her MBA. The MBA will connect her with resources and networks while also giving her management skills to start her own fund and assemble a team. 

However, immediately following her MBA, she likely won’t be ready to execute her vision. She’ll need to practice the skills she’s learned in order to prepare for her long-term goal.

How could a future education innovator best prepare to tackle her vision? There are a few possibilities. She could join an education startup with similar aims as her own–perhaps one like Glimpse K12, which works with education finance, where she could learn best practices.

However, it’s important to note that she could do this without an MBA. So, if her short-term goal is joining Glimpse , she should argue that she’ll leverage her MBA skill set to expand Glimpse beyond their K12 platform and into the higher education space, where her passion lies. That’s a strong short-term goal that makes use of her MBA.

Or, perhaps she prepares for her education finance venture by tackling the problem from the academic side–she could round out her financial background by joining a university’s administrative office in order to understand their needs and foresee potential problems associated with bringing corporations into the fold.

In this example, she could leverage the business skills she gained through her MBA to begin a trial run of her future vision with this one university, working to find corporate partnerships for that specific university in the hopes of later branching out into a national platform.

Yet another option would be to join a specific corporation and work the partnership from the corporate side. No matter the short-term goal, there’s one thing in common: she’s using her managerial skill-set to practice for her future long-term goal. Each option takes her one step closer to reaching her goal post-MBA.

Before you put pen to paper or open up that blank Word doc, make sure you’ve spent ample time brainstorming the above information. The hardest part of acing the career goals essay takes place before you ever start writing. Be certain that you have your long- and short-term goals solid and ready to go before you approach the actual writing of the essay. Take your time on the pre-writing preparation.

But once you’ve done all that, it’s time to write.

Below, we’ve devised an easy-to-digest strategy to help you convey your short- and long-term goals in a manner that will have the admissions committees begging you to join their programs. We’ve broken down the actual writing of the career goals essay into distinct components.

Though we encourage you to think of these components as key concepts to include in your essay, we don’t necessarily advise that you break these components out into distinct paragraphs like we’ve done below. We’re breaking them down into paragraphs to give you a solid template to work with, but again, the best essays will find their own forms that go beyond the high school five-paragraph essay.

In any case, every solid career goals essay should touch upon the below concepts in some manner, so following our structure below is a great way to churn out a first draft. The art, then, comes in revision.

Before moving on, be sure you can answer yes to both questions below:

1.)   Is your long-term goal a solution to a problem that you’re passionate about?

2.)   Is your short-term goal a stepping stone between your MBA and your long-term goal?

If both answers are “yes,” then let’s get to writing.

As with any essay, the career goals essay should have a beginning, middle, and end. You’ll need an introduction that presents an argument (your long-term goal is your argument, as you’ll see) a body that substantiates your position on the argument, and a conclusion that reminds us why it matters in the first place.

For the purpose of this breakdown, we’re going to assume we’re working with the HBS essay prompt, as their word-count of around 1,000 words is the most daunting. Even for a shorter essay, though, you’ll want to aim to cover most of these points, but you’ll do it in a more condensed fashion. If the school conducts interviews, you'll have an opportunity to elaborate in your MBA interview .

Remember the goal of the career goals essay. Demonstrate a passion for a problem, and convince the admissions committee that you are the type of person who can solve it. You can show off that passion in 1,000 words or 250 words. No matter the essay’s length, the heart of your approach is the same.

The introduction

Part 1: the problem. 

For the Class of 2021, HBS reportedly received about 10,000 applications. Though HBS is one of the largest MBA programs, with almost 1,000 people per class, the sheer number of applicants means that most everyone who applied was rejected.

Given that your essay is going to be read alongside nearly 9,999 others, how do you hook a reader at the start? What gets your attention when you’re reading a news article or a novel, watching a movie, or listening to someone else recount a real-life anecdote?

Oftentimes, what hooks us is a problem. If you can turn your reader’s attention to a problem with real-world effects, they’ll likely want to read more. Think back to your long-term goal. You’re planning to solve a major problem, right?

If that’s the case (and it should be) then your first couple of sentences needs to establish the problem. Do this in as compelling a way as possible. Set the scene. Dramatize. Paint the picture. Give us stakes to sink our teeth into. The reader has to feel that this problem needs to be solved. And problems need to be solved when they have a negative impact, so try to state clearly exactly what’s wrong.

An important caveat: you’re not just trying to prove that your chosen problem matters in general. You need to argue why it matters to you . In other words, why do you care? Do you have a connection to the problem? Has the problem affected you negatively either in your personal or professional life? Establish this connection as early as possible.

The problem’s connection to you can be as personal as you’d like to make it. Our banker applicant could have been inspired to go into the healthcare industry because he saw first-hand how the business operations of the healthcare industry failed someone he cared about, and he’s been inspired to use his business skills to help fix it. That would be an extremely personal, human response to a problem.

However, your connection to the problem doesn’t need to be touchy-feely, and you shouldn’t try to force a deeply personal connection if the problem doesn’t warrant it.

For example, our software engineering example probably doesn’t have a deeply personal reason to care about increasing semiconductor design efficiency, but it is her business to do so. If she’s an engineer who’s personally felt the adverse effects of manual semiconductor design and knows how much more she and other engineers like her could do if she optimized the process via machine learning, then there’s a problem that she cares about.

In this example, the software engineer would begin her essay with the problem–explaining what the current design process is like and how that’s affecting the company and industry. She’d use statistics and projections to substantiate her claims.

Then, she’d argue why it matters to her. She’s devoted the past five years of her life to semiconductor engineering, many more if you count her educational years–that means she’s spent countless hours doing something that could be facilitated by machine learning!

The problem affects her directly through her past work experiences, and it affects the industry at large, too. She’s felt this problem’s affects firsthand and cares about it because it’s what she does for a living. Placing herself at the center of the problem makes the problem personal. Making the problem personal is essential to arguing that she is the best person to solve it.

In the first half of your introduction, you should aim to accomplish two things: 

1.)   Establish the problem and convince your reader it needs to be solved. Set the stakes.

2.)   Argue that YOU are the one to solve it. Why do you care?

After you’ve established the problem and placed yourself at the forefront of the issue, you’re ready to move on to the second part of the introduction: the solution.  

Part 2: the solution.

Remember, your long-term goal is the solution to the problem above. Once you’ve established the problem and demonstrated why you’re passionate about solving it, it’s time to dive into how you plan to solve it. Here’s how to do that.

1.)   What is currently being done to address the problem?

Chances are, you’re not the first person who’s noticed this problem. In fact, if the problem is big enough, you shouldn’t be the only person who knows about it. Crop yields in sub-Saharan Africa? People know that’s a problem.

What’s currently underway to solve for it? What’s needed? How has the industry attempted, and failed, to solve the problem in the past? We need to get a sense that this problem is not easy to solve. If it’s easy, why would you need to devote your life’s work to solving it? Why would you need an MBA? Complex problems require complex solutions, and we need to feel the complexity at play in order to understand why it’s your long-term goal. 

2.)   What do YOU bring to the table that others don’t?

So, you’ve identified a problem that matters to you, and you’ve discussed its complexity. What makes you think that YOU can solve it? Others have tried, but they’re missing some important component that you’ll be able to bring to the issue based on your unique expertise. What is your unique expertise?

3.)   Your solution.

Now’s the time to propose your solution. If you’ve successfully argued points 1 and 2 above, then you’ll have the reader on the edge of her seat awaiting how you plan to fix it. Frame your solution in terms of your expertise. 

You want to bring your knowledge of machine learning into a field that doesn’t currently utilize it. You want to use your entrepreneurial prowess to start a tool-sharing organization for farmers. You want to leverage your financial background to streamline cancer research funding. How do you plan to attack the problem you laid out above to solve it?

4.)   To accomplish this solution, what business role will you take?

This is your long-term goal . In order to solve XX problem through YY means, you’ll do ZZ business role. The long-term goal is ZZ, the job. The job will allow you to solve the problem above. 

It’s not enough to state the problem and a solution. The career goals essay requires you to frame that solution within a job function. Maybe you want to start your own company. Maybe you want to be CFO of an existing company. Maybe you want to invent a new job in an existing field.

The possibilities are endless, but you need to end your introduction by assigning a job title to your future that will allow you to accomplish the above. An admissions committee doesn’t want a solution that’s floating around as an idea . Ground your solution in a job function.

An optional finish: as icing on the cake, to cap off your introduction, tie in the MBA. You’ll cover the “why MBA” portion of your argument more extensively in the essay’s body paragraphs, but for now, just hint at it. You want to solve this important problem by becoming this job function, but first, you need an MBA. This way, the adcom gets a strong sense of what’s coming in the next few paragraphs.

And, with that, you’ll have a solid introduction that hooks the reader and keeps them invested in both this essay and your application as a whole. To recap: 

1.)   The problem

2.)   Why it matters to you

3.)   What’s been done / what’s needed?

4.)   How your particular expertise can contribute

5.)   Your solution in terms of a job function

This might seem like a lot for an introduction, but you can cover many of these components in a sentence or two, if they’re strong. For a 1,000-word essay, plan on devoting around 250-300 words on your intro.

No matter the length of the essay, plan to devote a solid quarter of your available word-count to introducing your take on the problem at-hand. Your introduction is the most important part of the essay, so don’t skimp. 

At the end of this article, we’ve posted a full-length HBS essay example to show our advice in practice, but for now, take a look at that essay’s introduction to see how one applicant, Elinor, utilized our advice to demonstrate passion for a problem and hook the readers. Below, you’ll find Elinor’s introduction followed by a breakdown of how and why it works:

Due to financial constraints and familial obligations, neither of my older brothers were able to attend college. Instead, after graduating high school, they joined the corporate workforce, and to this day my brothers mark their biggest regret as not having been afforded the same opportunity for educational advancement as I was given. Unlike my brothers, a string of strong test scores allowed me to leave my rural hometown for the Ivory halls of Princeton University, where need-based financial aid provided the chance to study a field that always fascinated me: Human Evolutionary Biology. 

Throughout my studies, I became enthralled by the scientific turn of mind involved in asking and answering complex questions through straightforward, repeatable experimental methods. For example, my thesis research aimed to discover more about the genetic underpinnings of bipedalism in humans, and through a rigorous bioinformatics comparison between humans and other primates, we were able to isolate a potentially interesting gene region for future study. Though I loved biology, as most of my peers began the medical school application process, I realized my passion didn’t lie in practicing science, but rather in the framework through which science had allowed me to take complicated questions and distill them down to measurable, testable parts. In other words, what I loved most about my science education wasn’t the science, but the education itself. Access to higher education transformed the way I think about the world–a frame of mind that was not afforded to my brothers and so many like them due to the steep financial costs associated with most avenues of higher education. I believe that everyone–even those who must join the workforce to support themselves and their families–should have the option to better themselves through education.

It’s no secret that my generation is plagued with student loans, and the fear of compounding interest rates deters many from post-high-school education. Having pursued a Masters in Education from Yale University before joining the Gates Foundation where I focused on the financial allocation for educational development in rural Indian schools, I’ve become well-versed in both the system of higher education and the ways in which financial institutions can bolster humanitarian efforts. My goal is to leverage my passion for education and my experience with education finance to create a fund that will increase access to higher education in the US  through corporate partnerships with universities, ultimately providing powerful alternatives to education finance for employees who, like my brothers, were forced to choose work over college.

Through her introduction, Elinor provided the admissions committee with a personal problem that she is both passionate about and uniquely positioned to solve. Let’s break down her introduction into the outline we laid out above:

1.)   The problem.

a.     Elinor believes in higher education, but tuition and interest rates on student loans are prohibitive to many.

2.)   Why it matters to you.

a.     Elinor’s life has been forever changed by higher education–she approaches problems differently than she would have without going to college. Conversely, her brothers (making it personal to her own lived experience) didn’t get this life-changing opportunity because they had to go to work after high school, and she wants to change the education finance landscape in order to allow future students like her brothers to have access to higher ed.

a.     She mentions student loans as the only viable option, but also points out how compounding interest rates make this option less than ideal. There’s a void to be filled.

4.)   How your particular expertise can contribute.

a.     She demonstrates her passion for education via her lively discussion of her undergraduate studies and her commitment to the system of education through her masters degree. She also includes the financial expertise she’s gained through her work with the Gates Foundation (which the admissions committee will see on her resume.) These two attributes (education and finance) uniquely position her to make moves in the future of education finance.

5.)   Your solution in terms of a job function.

a.     Elinor states that she will start a fund that works to partner universities with corporations, thereby creating an alternative means of education finance that would solve the problem her brothers experienced. Her job function would be “fund manager,” and it could certainly solve her problem.

With that, Elinor has followed our outline and constructed a compelling introduction to her essay.

The Career Goals Essay body paragraphs: an overview.

With a strong enough introduction, you’ll have your reader locked into the rest of the essay. So, what now? Below, we’ve broken down the body paragraphs of your “goals essay” into distinct units. Take a look:

Career Goals Essay Body paragraph 1: what you’ve done so far 

In the first body paragraph of your essay, you have one task: establish yourself as the expert.  You’ve hinted at this in the “why you” component of your intro, but now’s the time to set it in stone.

Think of your first body paragraph as your audition for the role of your long-term goal. You obviously haven’t tried to tackle your long-term vision yet, and you won’t for many, many years to come; so, here, you want to use what you have already tackled in the past as proof that you’ll be perfectly able to keep hacking away at your long-term goal. Here’s the process: 

Step 1: review your resume. Know it inside and out. You’ll be pulling from this document a lot while fleshing out this first paragraph. 

(Suggested reading: The Perfect MBA Resume )

Step 2: Ask yourself: what have you done already to help prepare you for your long-term goal? If you made it through our stress-test above, then your long-term goal should be intrinsically tied to your field of interest and current profession. Therefore, all of your accomplishments to-date are fair game for this “audition.”

Step 3: Skills. Your resume is a list of accomplishments. The admissions committee will read your resume. They’ll know all about the great things you’ve done for your past places of business.

What we need to focus on here are the skills beneath those accomplishments. Professional accomplishments are one-offs, but the skills it took to accomplish those feats are transferable . These skills will prove to the admissions committee that you can successfully realize your long-term goal.

In this paragraph, you’re trying to prove to the admissions committee that you’re prepared to do what you’ve set out to do. You can begin this paragraph with a transition from your introduction—something like, “I’ve already begun working toward this goal.” 

From that launching pad, show your reader how . What did you study in undergrad? What really got your gears turning? How did you move from your studies to your first place of work? Why? What skills did you gain from that first position? Did you use those skills to accomplish something great in your next job?

Build this accumulation of skills until the reader understands that you’re the expert for the goal you want to accomplish. They should get the sense that you’re uniquely positioned to take on this long-term goal based on your passions, interests, skills and experiences.

The biggest pitfall applicants stumble into in this first paragraph is simply listing off their resume. Do not list accomplishments or jobs. Instead, map what skills you’ve gained while facing certain problems in the past, and showcase the types of groundbreaking, brag-worthy solutions those skills led you to.

Take a look at Elinor’s example essay’s first body paragraph below:

I’ve already begun working toward this goal by launching an initiative called Mission: Yield, a collaborative partnership I fostered between the Gates Foundation and Deloitte consultants. While I continued my day-to-day work with the Foundation to design and implement cost-effective approaches to increasing classroom learning in rural Indian schools, I also wanted to test the waters on my long-term goal of working with corporations to help employees access higher education in the US. 

The goal of this partnership was to apply the financial allocation wherewithal of my Gates Foundation team to one of Deloitte’s corporate clients and create a tuition-assistance model for attending a local public university while employees continued their professional growth. I began by recruiting three teammates from the Foundation and three from Deloitte to volunteer their time to drum up interest. From there, I utilized my Masters in Education training to strategize with our university partner while coordinating dialogue between my Deloitte teammates and their corporate client. Through my team’s diligent efforts on this initiative, we were able to institute a first-wave test case that allowed twenty corporate employees to enroll part-time at the university. As the partnership enters its third year, we project over one hundred employees to enroll at the university with the help of our financial allocation efforts.     

Let’s break down Elinor’s first body paragraph to explain how it’s working:

1.)   Establish yourself as the expert. 

a. Most of Elinor’s work at the Gates Foundation involves financial allocation to rural Indian schools, but that day-to-day function doesn’t necessarily align with her long-term goal in US higher education.

So, she notes her regular job role in one sentence (“While I continued my day-to-day work with the Foundation to design and implement cost-effective approaches to increasing classroom learning in rural Indian schools...”) and focused the paragraph on the one professional experience that best positions her as an expert in the field of alternative finance routes for higher education: her own initiative, Mission: Yield.

Through this specific example, she shows she’s passionate about her goal and has unique leadership experience in the field.  

2.)   Skills.

a. Elinor doesn’t list off accomplishments–instead, she focuses on the skills she used. She notes that she forged a collaborative partnership between two otherwise independent organizations, managed a team of six, and managed both halves of her team as they worked between the university and the corporation. All of these are MBA-applicable skills, and they showcase that she’s the type of person who has the potential to become a BUSINESS LEADER of the future. She also tells us about some of the quantitative impact of her work, which isn’t always possible to show, but is good to refer to if possible.  

Body paragraph 2: skill gaps

After you argue for the skills you have, it’s time to discuss the skills you need . Let’s say you absolutely nail the first body paragraph. Great. You’ve convinced your reader that you’re the person for the job.

That leaves one major question, though. If you already have all these skills, why don’t you just go ahead and tackle your long-term goal? Or why not stay on your current track? Tons of business leaders reached their long-term goals without MBAs. Why do you need one?

There are tons of reasons one might apply for an MBA: a higher paying job, a career transition, an ahead-of-time promotion, social cache, you name it. However, as far as the career goals essay is concerned, there’s only one good reason for your application: you currently lack skills that you need to reach your long-term goal. That’s it. For the purpose of this essay, you’re applying because of a specific skill gap that you can only fill through an MBA education.

To be one of the lucky few chosen to enter the esteemed halls of a top MBA program, you need to prove that an MBA is the essential and inevitable next step at this stage of your career. That means you’ll need to demonstrate that you’ve gone as far as you can go along your current trajectory, turned over every available stone, and now you need to gain other skills before continuing to strive toward achieving your goal.

How do you accomplish this in your essay? Simple: focus on broader skills .

In most cases, one can gain all the necessary technical skills on-the-job. That’s what jobs are for–to help you master one thing. If you work in distressed debt at an investment bank, you’re going to know everything there is to know about leveraged buyouts.

But if you’ve mastered the skills associated with your job role, and you need to, say, start your own company in order to accomplish your long-term goal, then you have an excellent reason to apply to an MBA—because there are skills involved with managing an organization that you simply can’t gain from the technical parameters of your current job.

In your first paragraph, you might list the skills that demonstrate that you’re an expert in a specific field. In this second paragraph, you’ll want to broaden those skills to the leadership, management, structural and organizational skills that make up the bread-and-butter of a top MBA program.

The MBA is designed to take experts with potential and help them to see that potential through to its fruition by turning them into business leaders . Therefore, you might need softer skills associated with the growing responsibility of leadership and management. Try to drill into those overarching skills in this paragraph of your “goals essay.”

Here’s how Elinor succinctly included her skill gaps: 

Though my work with Mission: Yield proved that it is in fact possible to find alternative routes to educational finance for corporate workers, this success has only inspired me to attempt to expand this work to a national scale. In order to tackle alternative educational finance on a broader scope, I’ll need to gain managerial and strategy skills through an MBA. Working between for-profit corporations and public universities will require managing teams of experts on both fronts, and creating my own fund will require organizational and strategic planning that I can’t attain from my current job function at the Gates Foundation. Therefore, I’m applying to HBS’s managerial program to best prepare me for my future as a leader in alternative education financing. 

In these few sentences, Elinor completed the necessary task of convincing the admissions committee that she can’t complete her long-term goal by staying the course in her current job.

Sure, she has experience partnering one university with a corporation, but if she’s going to go national with her venture, she’s going to need leadership and management training that she can only attain through an MBA.

Elinor has established a problem she’s passionate about solving, proven that she’s an expert in the field, and made the case that she needs an MBA to gain the overarching skills needed to expand her vision. All of the work she’s done thus far will remain consistent with every “goals essay” she writes. From this point on, the essay will be different for every program she applies to.

Body paragraph 3: Why an MBA? Why this MBA?

By this point, you’re about two-thirds through your essay. You’ve established an important problem, argued a solution, explained how you’ve mastered certain skills that will propel you toward providing that solution, and noted the skill-gaps you need to fill before you can continue down the road of your long-term goal.

Now, it’s time to look ahead at the MBA. You need to argue that an MBA–and, importantly, how a particular MBA program–will allow you mend the above-noted skill gap and launch you into your future success.

This is the “why MBA” portion of your essay. Brace yourself, because it requires research. 

Depending on the skills you say you need in order to accomplish your long-term goal, this paragraph may take on different forms. Here’s the key: focus on the particular offerings of the specific program. While the contents of your introduction and first couple of body paragraphs can easily be repurposed for all of your “goals essays,” if the “why MBA” paragraph looks the same for one program as it does for another, you’re doing something wrong.

The truth is that most MBA programs offer the same kinds of skill-based training as every other MBA program, but that’s not what the admissions committees want to hear from you.

Consider this paragraph like a first date with an MBA program. It doesn’t matter that you’re also going on first dates with a handful of other programs this week. If you want this first date to go well, you’ve got to make your date feel special. Getting to know the program you’re applying to and being specific about how its independent offerings are particularly appealing to mending your skill-gap will go a long way

Let’s get into the weeds a bit more on writing this paragraph.

1.)   Why get an MBA?

You can start this paragraph by transitioning from the discussion of your skills and skill gaps into why you need an MBA in general. If you’re short on words, you can skip straight to getting particular about a specific program, but if you have the space, a light touch on this will do. Simply stress that an MBA is the right next step, explain why taking a break from work to go back to school is the right choice right now, and then move on to discussing the program you’re applying to.

2.)   Why this MBA?

Take the skills you lack in the paragraph above and scour the internet for any information you can find on the specific program’s particular offerings that relate to those skills. You want to argue that an MBA from this program will allow you to mend your skill gaps. A few ways to approach this:

a.)   Courses.

a.     Investigate their course catalogue, focusing on higher level electives in the field of your long-term goal. Remember, every MBA will offer “Introduction to Management” in some capacity, so skip those generics. You want to isolate a few specific classes that pique your interest and align with the skills you need to develop.

b.)   Faculty

a.     Is there someone at the program who’s done research into the problem you want to solve? Could you get guidance from them? Have you read any pertinent books published by a faculty member? How will you utilize this program’s esteemed faculty to help you mend your skill gaps and learn more about your long-term goal?

c.)   Extracurricular activities

a.     Outside the classroom, what’s available to you? Every MBA program has a consulting club, but is there something specific about Stanford’s consulting club that is uniquely beneficial to you? Is there a student run organization that expressly focuses on honing the types of skills you need for your long-term goal?

d.)   Location

a.     Does the program’s proximity or connectedness to your particular area of interest help you in reaching your long-term goal? Do they have strong relationships with nearby companies in your desired field? For instance, Boston is a hub for pharmaceuticals. New York is the financial capital of the world. Duke has access to agriculture. Can you use a program’s location to your benefit?

e.)   Alumni network

a.     Every MBA program boasts about their extensive alumni network, but is there something particular about one program’s network that could help you? Is there a specific alum who is working toward your long-term goal who you would want to collaborate with or seek advice from in the future?

The above list contains just a handful of ideas to convince the admissions committee that you can get what you need from their program. The more you know about a given program, the more compelling examples you’ll find.

To reiterate, the biggest mistake applicants make in this section is being too general. If something you list exists at all MBA programs, it doesn’t belong here, or at least you need to argue that there’s something unique about this program’s variation on that offering that piques your interest, specifically.

Take a look at how Elinor approached this section for her HBS essay below:

To gain the skills needed to launch my education finance fund, I’ll utilize the HBS curriculum’s emphasis on experiential learning through interactive case studies. In courses such as “Startup Incubator,” I’ll learn the skills necessary to launch a venture from scratch, and I’ll workshop it alongside my peers’ initiatives in HBS’s “Social Initiative Venture Program” to better measure its potential impact. I also plan to work with the HBS Impact Fund to gain firsthand experience in fund management. 

Beyond coursework, I’ll learn from peers with similar interests by joining the HBS Education Club, where I’ll contribute my experience from my Masters to the club’s ongoing collaboration with the Harvard School of Education. I also look forward to utilizing HBS’s extensive alumni network to seek out mentorship and advice as I embark on my education finance venture in the future.

In these paragraphs, Elinor gets specific, and these specifics work to her advantage as they prove that she has done her homework on HBS and understands how their curricular and extracurricular offerings can help her reach her goal. She names specific courses and clubs, and even talks about branching out to other schools within Harvard’s educational ecosystem. She mentions how her past experiences at Yale could help her contribute to the HBS education club and ends with a nod to the alumni network–all good marks showing how she’ll make the most of her time at the program.

Body paragraph 4: short-term goal

You’re almost done with your body paragraphs, but first, do you remember that short-term goal we had you think up before starting work on the essay? Here’s where that comes into play. If your long-term goal is big enough—and it should be—then you won’t be ready to tackle it for some time after completing your MBA.

So, what will you do immediately following your graduation?

Remember what you’ve just argued above. You’ve just said you lack certain skills that you’ll gain from a particular MBA program, and you’ve discussed how you’ll go about gaining those skills over the course of the program. Following that logic, you’ll want to carry those skills you just gained into your professional life post-MBA.

Your proposed career move after your MBA should line up with the skills you will gain through courses, extracurricular activities, networking, etc.. Frame your short-term career goals as a test-case for these skills.

Let’s return to the example of someone who wants to alleviate poverty amongst sub-Saharan African farmers. She could argue that, at HBS, she’d learn the managerial skills necessary to start her own company that brings up-to-date agriculture technologies to this underserved community.

A strong short-term goal could therefore be to work in the agricultural practice of a foundation like Gates or Rockefeller, whose wide purview in development could help her better understand agricultural best practices in international development. In this example, the skills she gained from HBS were general skills that would help any entrepreneur succeed, and her short-term goal provided specific practice utilizing those skills within her long-term field.

Though the short-term goal needs to be a solid choice that exhibits follow-through and shows how you can form a plan, you don’t actually need to devote a great deal of your precious word-count to discussing it. It’s an essential puzzle piece of a successful career goals essay, but you can likely cover it in a couple of sentences, especially in a shorter iteration of the essay.

Take a look at Elinor’s approach below:

In order to put into practice the skills I’ll gain at HBS before taking on my long-term goal, directly following my MBA I’ll join an education start-up like Glimpse K12 and employ my managerial and strategic expertise to pioneer the expansion of their platform into the higher education space. Learning the best practices of an education venture in its earliest iteration will help prepare me for the trials I’ll face when working to increase access to education through university-to-corporate partnerships.

This is a short segment goes a long way in showing the admissions committee that Elinor has formed a plan–her long-term goal isn’t just a dream floating in the distance; she’s ready to tackle it step-by-step, and her first step is gaining the necessary skills from an MBA.

Notice that, in the full-length version below, this section runs directly into her conclusion. If your short-term goal requires more information, you might want to give it its own paragraph. Otherwise, feel free to allow this short-term goal to segue your essay into its final push.

The conclusion

Your conclusion can be short and sweet, but it needs to accomplish two things:

1.)   Circle back to the problem you laid out in the introduction.

We’ve learned a lot about you throughout the essay, and so there’s a good chance we forgot the problem you were so passionate about solving to begin with. This problem is what hooked the admissions committee in the first place, and it will be what they remember when they decide to admit you, provided you remind them about it in your concluding move.

Try to hit the following points regarding your problem:

a.)   Remind us why it matters.

b.)   Remind us that you’ve devoted your professional life to taking steps toward solving it.

c.)   Remind us that YOU are the one to solve it, and that you’ll do so through your long-term goal .

2.)   Make your final claim: only with an MBA from this particular program can you accomplish your long-term goal.

The conclusion is your final case to the admissions committee that they should admit you into their program. Remind them what you care about and how hard you’ve worked up to this point, and then hit them with the idea that, only with their help, can you accomplish this amazing, important life goal.

By the end of your essay, you want the admissions committee to feel as though, if they don’t accept you, they’ll be culpable for this problem never being solved. Of course, that’s a bit of a stretch, but you get the idea. Leave them rooting for you, and you’ll be well on your way to hanging that fancy MBA diploma on your office wall.

Here's Elinor’s conclusion, including the short-term goal above:

Ultimately, I feel passionate about education and the innumerable, lifelong benefits it can yield. Even today, years after studying bipedalism, I still use the scientific turn of mind I gained through my studies to dissect problems on a daily basis. Higher education isn’t only about what you study; it’s about how you learn to think. I believe everyone–no matter their financial situation–should have access to such transformative educational experiences, and I want to help make that happen.

I’ve devoted a large portion of my professional career to employing finances to enhance education, and I feel confident that, once I’m equipped with the leadership skills I’ll gain from HBS, I can make sure that even those people like my brothers, who were forced to join the workforce directly out of high school, can still pursue higher education without crushing financial stress. Through pioneering an educational fund and partnering with corporations and universities, I can provide an alternative route to higher education and ultimately help improve socio-economic mobility on a national scale.

We’ve covered a ton of ground in this article, and if your head is spinning, we don’t blame you. To help, we’ll end with a recap of all we’ve discussed. Below, find a bare-bones outline of the structure for a solid “career goals essay.”

1.)   Introduction

a.     Establish the problem.

b.     Why does it matter?

c.     Why is it complex?

d.     Why are you the one to solve it?

e.     Propose a solution.

f.      Long-term goal = business role that will allow you to solve this problem.

2.)   Body

a.     What skills have you gained working toward this goal?

                                               i. Focus on transferable skills.

b.     What skills do you need?

                                               i. These skills should be able to be gained from an MBA.

c.     How will you gain these skills at an MBA?

                                               i. Get specific: this MBA.

d.     Short-term goal = How you will use these MBA skills post-MBA.

3.)   Conclusion

a.     Remind us of your passion for the problem.

b.     Final plea for admission: only with an MBA from this institution can you solve this important problem.

Part 5: Career goals essay example

Throughout my studies, I became enthralled by the scientific turn of mind involved in asking and answering complex questions through straightforward, repeatable experimental methods. For example, my thesis research aimed to discover more about the genetic underpinnings of bipedalism in humans, and through a rigorous bioinformatics comparison between humans and other primates, we were able to isolate a potentially interesting gene region for future study. 

Though I loved biology, as most of my peers began the medical school application process, I realized my passion didn’t lie in practicing science, but rather in the framework through which science had allowed me to take complicated questions and distill them down to measurable, testable parts. In other words, what I loved most about my science education wasn’t the science, but the education itself. Access to higher education transformed the way I think about the world–a frame of mind that was not afforded to my brothers and so many like them due to the steep financial costs associated with most avenues of higher education. I believe that everyone–even those who must join the workforce to support themselves and their families–should have the option to better themselves through education.

How to Write a Career Goals Essay That Dreams Big

When you were kid, I bet you were asked (and more than once), “What do you want to be when you grow up?”

I’ll also bet that, by the time you were a junior or senior in high school, you were asked (and again, more than once), “What do you want to do when you graduate?”

If you answered these questions in any way that told people your plans for the future, you’re already used to talking about your career goals. The only difference this time is that you actually have to write them down.

Struggling to turn your standard answer of what you’ll do when you grow up into an essay? If so, this post can help. Here’s how to write a career goals essay that dreams big.

Before you start writing, take a minute to think about why you’re actually writing a career goals essay.

• Is it an assignment for a class?
• Are you applying for a scholarship?
• Is it part of an admissions process, such as admission into the school of nursing or college of education?

No matter your purpose, before you begin to write, think about your audience .

If you’re writing for a class, pay attention to what your prof wants. If you know your prof is a stickler for following directions and you’ll lose mega points if you forget one small detail, then, by all means, make sure you’re  diligent about reading assignment guidelines .

(Even if your prof isn’t such a stickler for every little detail, chances are she wrote those guidelines for a reason. So pay attention to them!)

If you’re writing your career goals essay to apply for a scholarship or as part of an admissions essay, remember, you’ll still need to follow content guidelines.

And though the guidelines might not explicitly state that you should use standard fonts and font sizes, rest assured that you’ll be expected to do so.

Need an essay format refresher? Check out this Essay Formatting Survival Guide (Infographic) .

Okay, you’re thinking audience. You’re thinking format. Now you have to think content . So let’s talk about the content of a career goals essay.

Step 1: Livin’ the dream—What are  your career goals?

The first step of writing a career goals essay is to prewrite . (Or if you’re more of a visual person, consider using a mind map to lay out your ideal career master plan  to uncover specifics for your essay.)

For prewriting, start with a few basics like defining your dream job or writing about your ultimate career goal.

Next, move to more specific information. Think about the following as you write:

• Why do you want to do this type of work?
• What about the work appeals to you most?
• What do you want to accomplish in your career?
• Do you currently have any experience in this type of work?

Here’s a prewriting example for inspiration:

• My dream job and career goal:  Children’s book illustrator
• Why do this job? I love to draw and love the creativity involved.
• What appeals to me? I’ve always enjoyed the illustrations in children’s books and have been inspired by the stories they tell. I like to create characters. I like to see how happy people are when viewing my work. Nothing beats the smile on children’s faces when they enjoy what I’ve created.
• What I want to accomplish: I’d ultimately like to draw for my own series of books.
• Current experience: I create my own work all the time. I’ve published in the school newspaper and won a local art contest.

With prewriting complete, next, think about the true focus of your essay.

Step 2: Your fight song—Focus your ideas

To focus your ideas, write a few concise sentences that explain your career goal and why you want to pursue the career. (These sentences are pretty much the thesis statement of your essay.)

If you’ve completed Step 1 (above), then you should already have an idea of what to write. You’ll just need to put the ideas into sentence form.

Here are three examples to illustrate what this step might look like:

• My dream job is to be an illustrator of children’s books. I have always been fascinated by the artwork in children’s books as it is often the images (more than the words) that tell the story. As an illustrator, I would love to share my illustrations with children and hopefully inspire their own creativity.
• My ultimate goal is to become a cardiologist. Though it will clearly be a long and demanding journey, I am prepared for the challenge. Receiving this scholarship will help me take that first step and enroll in pre-med courses.
• I have always dreamed of being an elementary teacher. I love working with young children and enjoy helping them unlock all that the world has to offer through developing creative and inspiring lessons.

Now that you have a clear focus, you’ll need to fill in the details to support your ideas. (See, this really is a lot like most other essays you’ve written, isn’t it?)

Step 3: Be the one that they want—Use details to support your statements

If you’re writing a career goals essay as part of a class assignment, your professor most likely wants to see how well you can articulate your ideas about your future career and how well you can support your ideas.

If you’re applying for a scholarship or to gain admission into a program or school, the committee not only wants to see how well you can articulate your ideas, but also wants you to convince them that you deserve the scholarship or a place in their program.

In either case, details are important.

Need a few ideas to get you thinking? Trying answering a few (or all) of these questions.

• Why are you a good fit for this career? What about your personality or your skill set makes you a good fit?
• What examples can you provide that can help demonstrate your skills? Have you volunteered in the field? Have you won awards? Do you currently work in a similar job?
• If you’re applying for a scholarship, consider discussing how the scholarship will help you achieve your goals.
• If you’re applying to a school or program, consider explaining why you’d be a good fit and how you might benefit the program.

In other words, sell yourself. Think of it as a first date. Your job is to put your best foot forward and convince the other person that you are indeed special.

Step 4: Give them something to think about—The strong conclusion

As with any essay, a strong conclusion is vital . The conclusion is the last thing your audience will read, so it makes sense that it’s what they’ll likely remember most.

In other words, make your conclusion count by leaving readers with a few memorable lines.

Click To Tweet

Here are two examples that leave the readers with a positive impression:

• Following in my mother’s footsteps and becoming a lawyer has always been my dream. Receiving this scholarship will be the first step in making my dreams a reality.
• Watching people enjoy my creations has always brought a smile to my face, and being able to one day own my own bakery will allow me to express my creativity and bring joy to my customers.

Remember, the conclusion isn’t quite the final step…

Play it Again—Reread and Revise Your Work

As you’ve probably heard at least a few times in your academic career, don’t submit an essay without revising.

Set your essay aside for a day or two. Then return to it to make sure it accurately captures your goals.

Ask yourself:

• Does your essay start strong by highlighting your career goals and making readers want to learn more about you?
• Do the details support your focus?
• Does the story make sense, and can you follow the logic of why you want to pursue your chosen career?
• Is the essay missing anything? Should you delete anything?
• Does it end with a strong, memorable statement?

Want to read a few career goals essays before writing your own? Check out these examples:

• An Essay on My Career Goals as a Nurse
• Letter of Application for the Presidential Scholarship at the College of DuPage
• Achieving Opportunities in the Summer Public Health Scholars Program (SPHSP)

Even after you’ve revised your paper, it’s always a good idea to have someone else read your work and offer revision suggestions. Let a Kibin editor be that someone else! Send your paper our way for some useful feedback .

Psst... 98% of Kibin users report better grades! Get inspiration from over 500,000 example essays .

About the Author

Susan M. Inez is a professor of English and writing goddess based out of the Northeast. In addition to a BA in English Education, an MA in Composition, and an MS in Education, Susan has 20 years of experience teaching courses on composition, writing in the professions, literature, and more. She also served as co-director of a campus writing center for 2 years.

• narrative essay
• topic ideas

Top 10 scholarship essay prompts and how to answer them (with infographic)

Checking each scholarship application’s questions and essays can be time-consuming. But what if you could find out what the most common essay topics were – and then reuse those same scholarship essays across multiple applications?

Well, Going Merry can help you do just that. We took a random sample of about 700 scholarship applications on our scholarship platform and categorized the prompts for any essays requiring 250 or more words. Finally, we ran the numbers to find out what the top 10 most common scholarship essay prompts are. 

These 10 topics represented a whopping 90% of all scholarship essay prompts. So that means if you had these 10 essays ready to go, you could apply to the vast majority of scholarships with very little additional work, especially when you use Going Merry’s auto-filled application forms .  

Here’s our list of the Top 10 Most Common Scholarship Essay Prompts.

• Here’s an excerpt of the winning scholarship essay from John Flowers Jr.:

2. How have you contributed to your community?

3. tell us about yourself., 4. tell us about a time you failed and what you learned from it., 5. what are your academic and/or career goals, 6. what impact has sports had on your life.

• And here’s a winning essay on this scholarship topic from Jesús Adrian Arroyo-Ramirez:

Here’s an example of a winning scholarship essay from Gabby DeMott in which a student developed a new understanding of herself and others.

Here’s a winning going merry scholarship essay from daniel gill on what makes him unique (hint: he brings puppetry and education together with expressive arts):, 10. why do you want to study/pursue [x], download the top 10 scholarship essay prompts, more resources related to writing for college, ready to start writing some of these top scholarship essay prompts.

1. How will this scholarship help you?

You should answer this scholarship essay prompt by explaining how the award money will help you in at least one of the following ways: financially , professionally, and/or academically. 

Financially, you can share family hardships or goals on how you plan to use the money to help pay for portions of college – for textbooks, tuition, a laptop, or other school supplies. 

Professionally, the scholarship might help you pursue a degree in a field you’re interested in. If you’re a first-generation student, you can highlight that this would help you pursue both academic and career dreams as the first in your family.

For example, John Flowers Jr., a Going Merry scholarship winner , described in his scholarship essay that the award would help him be able to pay for his books. 

“Winning this scholarship will make a difference to me because it will allow me to cover college financial issues that may hold me back from reaching my career. Being less stressed about worrying about college fees will allow me to focus more of my attention in class to earn the credits, and not worry about how I’m going to pay for the class.”

Here’s an excerpt of the winning scholarship essay from John Flowers Jr. :

My parents were never given a shot at having an education beyond high school. They were never given a shot to show their full potential and make a difference in the world  […] Being young and seeing my parents struggle is hard for me. It’s challenging seeing the people you love go through a hard time and you can’t do anything about it. […] But then I realized I can do something about it. I can get good grades in school. I can take college level courses throughout high school. I can attend a 4-year university and earn my bachelor’s degree in Business Entrepreneurship. That was my thought process as a Freshman.  Now being a Senior I turned those “I cans” into “I did.” I DID get good grades all through school. I DID take college level courses. I will be walking straight out of high school with 17 college credit hours.  […] I DID get into a 4-year university; and 4 years from now I want to be able to say I DID earn my bachelor’s degree in Business Entrepreneurship. Nothing would make me happier than to be able to take care of my parents the way they have been taking care of my all my life; and nothing would make me better as a person than to be able to say I did this. […] Winning this scholarship will make a difference to me because it will allow me to cover college financial issues that may hold me back from reaching my career. Being less stressed about worrying about college fees will allow me to focus more of my attention in class to earn the credits, and not worry about how I’m going to pay for the class. Even book fees will add up over time due to how many different classes there are. Being able to use this scholarship to pay for books that are required for a certain class will be a big help, especially for a student who has lots of classes that have to be taken.

This is a common essay prompt for community service scholarships . In this essay, describe your experience in community service, explain how you’ve given back, or share volunteer opportunities you’ve participated in. For example, if you’ve organized a community donation box and taken the donations to a nonprofit organization, share how you got involved in that and how it helped the community. 

Two more things to mention–even when they’re not explicitly asked: 

• How have you learned or grown due to your community service? Scholarship committees want to know how this work has contributed to your character. 
• How do you plan to continue to support your community in the future? Bonus points if your college plans (which they’d be partially funding!) help you further contribute. Sometimes this is easy because your intended career path is service-oriented (for example, if you want to be a nurse, doctor, teacher, or social worker), but other times you may wish to give back on the side (for instance, by doing pro-bono work if you want to be a lawyer). 

You have a lot of creative freedom with this scholarship prompt! But don’t get too crazy. Generally, this kind of “open-ended” prompt is a bit of a trick. In the end, the scholarship committee still wants to know: 

• What motivates you to do (study or pursue a career in) what you plan to do? Remember, they’re funding your future, so they want to know about your plans and why you’re passionate about them. 
• What kind of (good) characteristics do you have? They’re ultimately choosing people to invest in, so they want you to be a good person. Characteristics you might want to show are empathy, service, leadership, perseverance, or determination. 
• What kind of successes have you had in the past? This is your chance to brag about what you’ve accomplished so far. 

This essay topic is quite similar to writing a college personal statement , except that with this one, you want to more explicitly tie things back to your future plans.

Scholarship providers understand that no student is perfect, and they want to know how you learned from a failure – this can be an academic, professional, or personal failure. Break down how you failed, why you failed, and how it made you better. You can also reveal something you learned from that failure, such as what you would do differently in the future, so you don’t run into that situation again, or how that moment changed your life and how you picked yourself up. This is a moment to show how you can learn and persevere. 

If the essay is very short (say, 100-300 words), be clear and concise. Explain what you want to study, and then what kind of career you want to lead afterwards. Be sure to save room for 1-2 sentences explaining why you’re motivated to pursue that path. 

If you have a longer essay (for example, 500-1000 words), take the time to describe what inspired you to pursue certain academic and/or career goals. For example: One of your parents has always owned his or her own business and now you’re inspired to be an entrepreneur, to pursue a degree in business. Describe that moment of realization when you decided that would be your career goal. Maybe a conversation with that parent sparked inspiration to pursue that, or maybe it was simply watching them work as you grew up. Looking to the future, how do you plan to pursue that career goal? How will the scholarship award help you pursue it? Tell a story; paint a picture. Get creative with it!

Check out these blog posts for additional information on writing an essay about your academic goals and/or career goals .

This essay prompt is generally for scholarships supporting student-athletes.

So if you played sports throughout high school, share how it’s affected your life, You can reflect on experiences with teammates (if it’s a team sport), what you learned (or gained) from practices or meets/competitions, any injuries you had to overcome, how you balanced athletics and academics, how it affected your schedule (early-morning wake-ups, anyone?), and time with your coach(es) or sports mentors. 

You’ll also want to look forwards and not just backwards. How will you take your sports experiences with you, into college and beyond? Maybe there’s a direct connection: being on a team inspired you to one day pursue a career in sports and eventually coach. Or the effects can be more indirect: You’ve learned time management skills that will help you in college, or you’ve learned teamwork skills that will help you when you begin working.

7. Why do you deserve this scholarship?

Scholarship providers are basically asking, “Why should it be you?” with this scholarship essay prompt. Paint a picture of why you’re the most deserving student for this scholarship award. 

You’ll want to establish at least these two things:

• You’ve proven yourself as high-achieving (in the past). Discuss accomplishments you’re proud of or any accolades (honors, awards, or simply verbal compliments) you’ve received. 
• You’re driven to succeed (in the future). Show that you’ve got clear future plans and the gusto to make them happen. 

In addition to that, a strong essay will show at least one of these additional traits: 

• You’re passionate. If you’ve got a good story to explain your motivation for your studies or future career plans, now’s the time to tell that tale. Here’s the moment to wow the scholarship committee with why you care more than anyone else, and why. 
• You’re unique. Scholarship committees love finding someone who’s just different and stands out from the rest. If you’ve had an unusual upbringing or an uncommon interest, lean into that. (For instance, scholarship winner Daniel Gill wrote about his passion for using puppetry to help autistic children — now that’s cool and unique!)
• You’ve got a particular financial need . For need-based scholarships, this essay question may in part be asking you why your financial need is greater than other applicants’.

Want more tips? We have a whole separate post dedicated to answering this scholarship essay prompt.

And here’s a winning essay on this scholarship topic from Jesús Adrian Arroyo-Ramirez :

I always knew I was different than my friends in some way. Growing up, I struggled to speak English while everyone else had little to no problems. I needed extra help in school while my friends coasted by with ease. My friends would hop on planes and travel all around the world while I had to stay at home. At the age of 13 all of my friends started driving while I still couldn’t. I built up the courage and asked my mother why I did not have access to the simple liberties everyone else did. My name Is Jesús Adrian Arroyo-Ramirez, and I was illegally brought to this country when I was just six years old. At the time I had no clue that I was breaking any laws, and I did not realize the fact that my life was going to change forever. Growing up with a different citizenship situation than my peers was and still is the biggest challenge I have to face in my life. Looking back there is not a single thing that I would change. Knowing that I had to work harder than everyone else led me to be the person that I am today. I took that fire inside of me, pushed myself, graduated first in my class with a cumulative 4.0 GPA, became a Kansas Scholar, and graduated High School with a semester’s worth of college credit. In November of 2016, everything began to look up for me. I received a work permit and a social security card all thanks to the DACA program. I was finally able to get my license, get a job, and most importantly attend college. I plan to continue my success in the classroom and do everything to the best of my ability as I know that under my current circumstances it can all be ripped away from me at any moment. Growing up with my situation has taught me to not take advantage of a single opportunity. There has been continued support around me past and current and I know there are people out there rooting for my success. I will strive to be the first generation in my family to graduate from an American University and I will set a stepping stone for my future family so they will not have to struggle as I did. My citizenship is not a setback, it is a mere obstacle that I will always learn to work around if it means giving my future children a better life, just like my mother did for me.

8. Tell us about a time when you had a belief or idea challenged.

Have you studied abroad? Visited a foreign country on a family trip? Had a thought-provoking discussion with a teacher, religious leader, or friend? Think about an experience or a moment that challenged – or even changed – one of your beliefs or ideas. Explain what your original understanding of the idea was, when that idea was challenged, and how you felt about it afterward. Scholarship providers are interested in seeing reflection and growth, so expanding on every detail, including where you were, who you were with, and what you were feeling, can help tell your story in your essay.

There were only a few minutes to go and our eyes were glued to screen. On the edge of our seats, clutching whoever happened to be next to us, we watched as the referee blew his whistle and the German players took their free kick. The ball was hit with precision and skill; it flew up over the Swedish players, past their goalie, and was caught safely in the back of the opposing team’s net. We all jumped up and screamed, a mixture of German and English, of excitement and relief, of pride and anticipation. We stood, enraptured, for the last several minutes of the game as Germany kept its 2-1 lead over Sweden. The horde of us, Germans and Americans alike, hugged and cheered and made our way out onto the balcony, where we chanted “Deutschland! Deutschland! Deutschland!” for the whole village, the whole country, the whole world to hear. Never have I felt so accepted while being an outsider, so proud of a country that isn’t even mine, so part of something I didn’t really belong to. My German friends didn’t care that we were from different countries; they didn’t care that we would only be staying for three weeks. They accepted us into their homes and their daily lives, their traditions and their celebrations. In watching that World Cup game, it didn’t matter that we were from different places; we were all cheering for the same team. The acceptance I felt in Germany extended beyond that living room. I came to the country on a three week exchange with ten other students from my school. We each stayed with host families and attended the Wildermuth Gymnasium, which was surprisingly accommodating to a gaggle of loud American teenagers. The teachers were friendly and welcoming, the students treated us like ordinary peers, and even the people I interacted with in public were understanding. Before coming to Germany I feared judgment based on my level of the language (which is nowhere near as good as the German students’ English) and American politics. It was intimidating to be in a country with limited knowledge of the language and the customs, even though everyone was welcoming. People did ask myself and the other students about the US’s political climate, but no one blamed us for it. They recognized that we were outsiders, that the place we came from had flaws, and they accepted us anyway. Since that trip, I’ve found myself trying to provide that acceptance to people in my own country. For example, I work at a canoe livery and we receive a lot of visitors with limited English. Some of my coworkers will avoid such customers because they don’t want to take the time to explain things, to exercise patience with someone who may not understand them. If people had done this to me in Germany, my time there would have been much less enjoyable; in fact, I would have been offended. So now when someone walks up to me at the livery and asks a question in English that isn’t perfect, I smile and welcome them. I take my time to make sure they understand, that they can have a good time, and that they feel accepted. It’s a small action, but I know firsthand that it can make a big impact, at my place of work and in the world.

9. How are you unique? (Discuss your background, identity, interest, or talent) 

Everyone has a trait, a quirk, an activity that makes them unique, whether it’s sports, their upbringing, their hobbies, or interests. Go into as much detail as you feel comfortable to answer this scholarship essay prompt.

Share a story about your family culture, how you were raised, moments that shaped you into being who you are today. If sports is your thing, for example, share how playing sports at a young age taught you about teamwork, working with a coach, discipline and structure. If you couldn’t play sports due to an injury or a disability, explain how you felt when you learned that you had to find other ways to thrive and how it affected your actions.

Sometimes we think that a topic has been written about so many times that it doesn’t matter, but what makes you unique – your story, your history – is your story to tell.

As an Expressive Arts specialist, I use puppet play and the arts (with three to five-year-olds) to teach sharing, identifying and working with feelings, making friends, mindfulness, and asking for what you need in peaceful ways. Additionally, I perform developmentally appropriate puppet shows in classrooms about fairness, valuing difference (including differences in gender expression and skin tone), and peaceful conflict resolution. By teaching diversity, equity, and inclusion through puppetry, I feel that I am making a difference. In this work, I have noticed an unexplained phenomenon. Educational puppetry is particularly effective in helping children with ASD develop social and communication skills. One girl with ASD in my school refused to follow the daily routine until a parrot puppet helped guide her through the transitions. Through puppet play, a boy with impulse control challenges learned to manage his feelings and stop hitting other children. One boy with Autism showed remarkable progress with puppet play. Now in Kindergarten, his ability to communicate and make friends makes his academic success possible. Teachers value this work; it reinforces the social and emotional teaching they practice daily. One teacher told me, “What you do with puppets and our kids is amazing. You need to share this work beyond our preschool.” Application Questions and Answers My goal is to support young children with Autism in public school settings develop the social-emotional skills they need for academic and personal success. I aim to accomplish this by creating and implementing evidence-based strategies that use puppets as intervention tools. A Masters and Credential in ECSE, and the Autism Spectrum Graduate Certificate program I will complete, are essential to broadening my impact. The program will provide me with the theoretical foundation, the student teaching experiences, the credentials, and the academic community required to work with children and families in public school settings. For example, as part of the ECSE Program Masters and Credential Roadmap, I am taking the Seminar in Educational Research course. I am learning how to conduct scholarly research, a fundamental skill in creating innovative approaches that work. I am eager to apply the knowledge and skills I learn at SFSU toward helping more children open doors to connection. Additionally, I am learning leadership skills by volunteering for SFSU’s Early Childhood Special Education Conference. Most conference attendees are undergraduate students, interested in working with young children at-risk and with disabilities. As Co-Chair of the Presenter Committee, I am recruiting dynamic and engaging speakers who will lead workshops. I am eager to apply all of the knowledge and skills I learn at SFSU toward helping more children open doors to connection. I am at a critical juncture in my path. Helping children who experience social disconnection integrate into their classrooms, is my passion. This scholarship will help me work toward a world where every child has access to education and all children know they belong.

Reflect on what inspires you to want to pursue a certain field of study. If you’re interested in studying psychology and pursuing a career as a psychologist, for example, explain how you enjoy understanding how and why people make certain decisions, how you became fascinated by the science behind it.

Another example: Let’s say you’re interested in pursuing a career in communications. This might seem like a broader category, but you can highlight your love for writing, your ability to pick up on details in and out of school, and presenting this in a way that makes sense to the people around you. Just be careful not to get stuck in broad generalities. For this essay prompt in particular, many applicants will often have the same basic answer as you. So you’ll want to use specific anecdotes to make your essay stand out. 

Check out these blog posts to continue researching how to answer scholarship essay prompts:

• How to write an essay about yourself
• Writing about your career goals 
• How to write the best personal statement
• Write a winning scholarship essay about your academic goals
• Scholarship essay format and structure

Now that you have a better understanding of how to answer these scholarship essay prompts, it’s time to put your knowledge in motion with your scholarship applications. Sign up for a free Going Merry profile where you can upload your scholarship essays. You’ll enter your information once – such as your expected graduation year, what you plan to study in college, and your location – and then we’ll match you with thousands of scholarships. You can even sort scholarships by competitiveness, location, amount, and deadline!

• Recent Posts

• Scholarships for Students in Pennsylvania for 2024 - November 11, 2020
• Counselor Starter Guide: How to Use Going Merry’s Scholarship Platform - September 9, 2020
• How to write a financial need statement for your scholarship application (with examples!) - August 13, 2020

Ready to find scholarships that are a match for you?

Guide on Career Goals Essay: Tips and Templates

What's the Purpose of Your Career Goals Essay

There are many contributing factors that lead you to your career path. Those include the education you receive in high school, your interests, and relevant past experience. As we approach the verge of graduation, we tend to establish distinct career aspirations based on these factors. So, you need to gather all the information mentioned above concisely and clearly in your career goals essay.

Writing winning career goals essays is one of the major parts of your college application. The main purpose is to project why you follow certain educational programs. This is your chance to show off your career ambitions and state why your candidature should be invested.

Proceed with the article for detailed tips on how to write a scholarship essay about career goals, and read specific career goals essay examples for more inspiration.

Feel welcome to use our essay writing service whether you are looking for an education goals essay or 300 word essay on career goals examples.

How to Write a 'What Are Your Career Goals Essay'

There are some essential components and writing tips for crafting a top-notch career goal essay. Primarily, the admissions committee should be able to see individualism and honesty in your personal cover letter. Your future goals should be based on your pure interests. The next important step is organizing your essay following a classical structure consisting of an introduction, body, and conclusion. Last but not least, aligning your ambitions and relevant experience to your future career and stating why this particular educational program will help you through your career growth is crucial.

For specific educational and career goals essay examples, check the prompts given below.

Keep Your Personal Style in Your Career Goals Essay

Looking forward to the stage of application to write your personal statement? Your career goals essay serves that purpose for many reasons.

The admissions committee should be able to see your personality between the lines of your career goal essay, whether you are applying for an MBA program or specific financial aid. List down all the relevant experiences that provided you with valuable knowledge and try to combine them in your essay. Describe what exactly drew you to participate in those workshops, conferences, or internships, and state how they align with your career goals.

Writing career goals scholarship essays is your chance to highlight your unique character and personality. You are welcome to write about your ambitions, goals, and aspirations. However, the most important thing is to list them per the chosen educational field. That will be a projection of your thoughtful decision regarding your career path.

The career essay example below might motivate you to construct an essay that will grant you admission to the desired institution. For further educational goals essay tips, proceed with the article.

Structure Your Career Goals Essay

Your career goals essay shows your career plan. It is your chance to strategically call the attention of the scholarship committee to your interests, passions, and aspirations. For that reason, you need to write a winning essay in a very clear and direct manner. Try to organize the essay in adjustment to the classical structure:

• Introduction - Start writing with attention-grabbing phrases that will immediately hook the reader. Briefly overview the main objectives you intend to discuss in the rest of the essay.
• Body - Feel confident in jotting down the professional or academic experience that you had in the past. Associate the latter with your future career goals.
• Conclusion - Sum up discussed points and firmly restate your enthusiasm for choosing that specific undergraduate or graduate program.

Check out the provided career essay example for more writing tips.

Maintain Relevance in Your Career Goals Essay

Begin to describe your academic and career goals from a long-term perspective. Give why it is worth investing in your education over all the other candidates. In other words, do not be shy to highlight the value that your candidature holds based on gained experience and professional goals. Align what you want to achieve with what you are applying for.

For more insights on 'what are your career goals essay' check out the service of our essay writer online .

Your Career Goals Essay Example

You are welcome to glance through the career goals scholarship essay we have prepared to make your writing process easier.

'Why do I Want to Be a Special Education Teacher?'

Childhood is the time of our lives when most of our genuine interests originate. Ever since I was a small kid, my mom often found me sitting quietly at the desk, pretending to be a teacher. I distinctly remember that I found it thrilling and satisfying to correct the works of fellow classmates and write small remarks as side notes for them. As I grew older, I directed my main career goal toward becoming a teacher. I believe that teachers inspire future generations to be the best versions of themselves, which only brings about positive outcomes.

My pure intentions orbit around helping those not perceived as equally smart or intelligent from the modern perspective. No wonder I always knew that I wanted to offer a helping hand to children with disabilities. They need to gain valuable knowledge as much as we all do, and we should be encouraged to create equal opportunities for them. I firmly believe that contributing to the development of those underprivileged children will make their lives brighter and slightly easier. Everybody deserves to acquire a college knowledge base if one has the desire. Hence, no wonder I aspire to become a special education teacher.

I have spent years gaining experience in the field of education. With the help of traineeships and workshops, I allowed myself to dive deep into the psychological aspects of teaching. Therefore, I mastered the ways which should be implemented in the field of education to create an unstressful and welcoming environment for children with disabilities to become proficient in any desired subject. I firmly believe that pursuing the Special Education undergraduate program will help me get to my life-long goal of becoming a helpful, competent, and reliable teacher who can positively impact the lives of myriads of underprivileged children.

From my subjective point of view, there is no better career choice than becoming a special education teacher. I want to touch upon the lives of those vulnerable children deprived of the same possibilities and opportunities that others are granted naturally. The appropriate educational program will be the best possible means of achieving my dream.

For more scholarship essay examples, you can check out the one below. Meanwhile, look at the list of fully accredited online universities that can help you fulfill your scholarship goals.

Professional Career Goals Essay Examples

Here you can read one of the professional career goals essay examples. We would be delighted to pave the way for you to perfectly describe your academic and career goals based on it, whether you are applying for a specific job position or trying to win the trust of the scholarship committee.

'My Aspiration of Going into Business'

Deciding on a career choice can be very stressful for youngsters. However, I always knew I wanted to connect my experience and hold a bachelor's degree in a field related to Business Management. The choice is not accidental. I have deliberately found a passion for owning a business, specifically in the film industry. The cinematography of various Western or Eastern movies in Hollywood, Eastern Europe, or Asia would always grab my attention because I found them aesthetically pleasing. I discovered that I wanted to dig deeper into the mechanisms behind creating such kinds of artworks, and I aspired to finance their production through my own means. Hence, connecting my professional career goals directly to the business industry was a prominent means of achieving my goal.

My leisure almost always included watching movies of adventure, romance, history, and other genres. As I got older, I gradually concluded that I learned much more from the movie industry than I ever learned in school. That became one of my major motivations to invest in my career in the business industry to be able to financially and structurally manage the crew who work blood, sweat, and tears behind the scenes to contribute valuable pieces of work to the film industry. I always imagined myself being in charge of marketing, financing, and dealing with the staff that is the core force behind creating masterpieces. That way, I would help youngsters like me to enjoy a quality product that would not only be aesthetically pleasing but informative as well.

I have invested a lot of my time and energy volunteering for workshops and conferences that helped me gain deeper insight into the film industry. These opportunities revealed my time management, communication, and team player skills. I believe these qualities are essential to succeed in any field in the modern world. At the same time, I found my intellectual strength in math and the relevant technical subjects. I wanted to combine my inspirations and interests. Hence the final decision to go into the business field was the product of aligning these two factors perfectly.

I have a clear vision for my future, and I'm willing to continue working hard to end up where I envision myself, which is exactly in the business field in association with the movie industry.

Need further assistance? Do not hesitate to use our MBA essay writing service for your benefit. We are here to help you make the best out of your future business career!

Use Our Academic Assistance

We hope you enjoyed the education and career goals essay examples. Our expert writers would be delighted to contribute to your future success.

And if the college admissions exams are on the way, feel free to check out best study tips for exams . Try implementing them in practice and ace all your upcoming challenges.

Frequently asked questions

She was flawless! first time using a website like this, I've ordered article review and i totally adored it! grammar punctuation, content - everything was on point

This writer is my go to, because whenever I need someone who I can trust my task to - I hire Joy. She wrote almost every paper for me for the last 2 years

Term paper done up to a highest standard, no revisions, perfect communication. 10s across the board!!!!!!!

I send him instructions and that's it. my paper was done 10 hours later, no stupid questions, he nailed it.

Sometimes I wonder if Michael is secretly a professor because he literally knows everything. HE DID SO WELL THAT MY PROF SHOWED MY PAPER AS AN EXAMPLE. unbelievable, many thanks

New posts to your inbox!

Stay in touch

We apologize, our site does not support Internet Explorer 6 or 7. Please view our site in a different, standards-adherent browser such as Firefox , Safari , or Chrome , or upgrade your Internet Explorer browser to Version 8 or Version 9 . Thank you.

Search form

• You are here :
• » How to Write a Career Goals Essay: An Ultimate Guide for Students

• 03 Nov 2023
• News archive

How to Write a Career Goals Essay: An Ultimate Guide for Students

A career goals essay is a critical tool for students and professionals alike as it provides a structured space to articulate their ambitions, plans, and the steps they intend to take to achieve their career objectives.

This type of essay is often a requisite component of college applications, scholarship applications, and job applications. In this regard, it’s an indispensable element of one’s career development toolkit.

However, crafting a well-thought-out career goals essay necessitates deep introspection and a strategic approach to clearly convey one’s career aspirations and the motivation behind them. You must clearly communicate your professional aspirations, strengths, weaknesses, and the external opportunities and threats that might impact your educational and career trajectory. But first things first, let’s look at the general format for writing a career goals essay.

The Format of Writing a Career Goals Essay

This essay must have a specific and packed agenda, unlike personal statements that can cover one’s career goal but also allow for more flexibility in content. It demands a laser-like focus. In fact, a career goal essay prompt could involve multiple questions, and in such cases, you would want to ensure that you address each of them. An effective career goal essay follows a specific structure that includes the introduction, the body, and the conclusion.

Introduction

A good reason to write a compelling introduction is to attract readers’ attention and make them want to read to the end. You can start with a thought-provoking question or quotation as the formulation of a problem. Then, other details will give an overview of the career plan. Sometimes, writing the introduction is a challenge. However, you can start with the body and write your introduction after. Once you have a clear picture of the essay, you will have an easier time crafting the introduction. The introductory paragraph should not exceed 10% of the entire length.

The body of the essay should have several paragraphs explaining the main idea of your essay, which is your career goal. Each paragraph should focus on a goal or point the applicant intends to achieve. You must include a strong thesis statement to let the reader know why you are applying for your desired degree program or the job position and a few sentences to support it. Besides, each section must end with a summative and transitioning statement. In addition, explain why you’re relevant for the degree program or job and what sets you apart from other candidates.

Each passage must adequately support each professional and education goal and should take approximately 80% of the entire composition in this case. To convince the audience, the writer must provide true, precise, accurate, and valid details to convince admission. Further, from a practical perspective, the body section should contain real-life cases that led to the professional choice. One should give facts and explanations on how various factors will improve the future occupation. Additionally, the important factors that an aspirant should consider are the way their career may contribute towards community development.

If the introduction is intended to interest the reader, the conclusion should seek to add integrity to the whole essay and leave your message in the reader’s memory. The ending paragraph should reintroduce the purpose of your writing, followed by a summary of the career ambition concept provided in the essay. Basically, the writer should link the opening and body section. In turn, this section must show the reader that one has come to the end of the writing. Hence, the ending passage should take approximately 10% of the entire essay.

Generally, writing this type of essay can be challenging for students as it requires clarity, introspection, and articulate expression of one’s ambitions. Nonetheless, professional custom essay writing service at CustomWritings offers valuable guidance by connecting students with experienced writers proficient in crafting compelling narratives. These experts ensure that the essay resonates with the student’s personal journey and meets the high standards expected by educational institutions and employers.

Write a Top-notch Career Goals Essay

Oftentimes, the scholarship committee wants to see how investing in your education will help your career. As a writer, you should consider the following tips to present an outstanding essay.

Understand the concept of career goals                 

Career goals are a form of personal development. Identify your career ambition before writing your career goal essay. When composing career goals essays, use your career aspiration to state your reason for pursuing a certain field of study, professional or job study. Focus on the professional or educational goals you would like to achieve. Your goal quality is a more accurate measure of success than the salary you wish to achieve. You can easily create a goal tree to identify your career goal. However, remember that your objectives and goals may change over time because of your work situation, life, or other factors.

Set goals for different stages of your career

Setting your career goals and achieving them is not an instantaneous process. While some dreams can be achieved in a short period, others take a protracted time to be realized. It would be best if you determined both short and long-term goals. To plan your career well, you must identify the necessary steps to achieve them.

• Adaptation stage: You will have a better chance of succeeding with a well-defined action plan. Self-affirmation is the main objective in this stage. The desire to show your competence and ability to learn from your mentor is the pivot point of this goal. Describe your plan in this first stage if you are writing a career goal essay for graduate school or trying to acquire the first job.  
• Formation stage: To make yourself valuable to your employer, you must strive to work independently at this formative stage. For example, you will work hard to prove that you deserve a better position than your peers.
• Maturity stage: By the time you reach the maturity stage, you are an experienced professional already, likely looking to gain a managerial position and start educating younger employees.
• Late career: Focus on a broader scope of your company’s interest at this late-career stage. It can either be of regional or global interest. Most of the time, you should seek to convey your accumulated experience or wish to train someone. Preparing yourself for retirement is your most important goal.

Choose a title

An appropriate title is the first thing you must come up with when writing a career goals essay. You should pick a title that matches the essay’s purpose and resonates with your intended audience. If you are writing to an employer, you should choose a title that reflects your personality, ambitions, and uniqueness that can benefit the company. If you submit the essay to the admission committee, ensure that your title shows the quality an admission officer appreciates the most, such as literacy, logical sentence construction, professionalism, or originality.

Use the right structure

Essays on career goals must conform to specific writing rules since it is often used as part of a formal application. It is more important if you are to write a scholarship essay or admission to a diploma or degree program. Your essay should be well-structured and meet all the general requirements of a formal essay. 

Editing essays

In order to identify grammatical errors and sentence structures, the writer must edit their writing. Effective revision leads to flawless papers that appeal to the audience’s target. In turn, it is important to consider allowing peers to revise the essay. Moreover, peer reviewing is an essential step in improving the sentence structure in the career goals

Take the Next Step!

An essay about your career goals is a piece of writing where students explain the selected professional path they wish to pursue. Whether you’re trying to get accepted to a college or secure a job, a well-written and convincing essay can help you establish yourself as the potential and the ideal candidate. Remember, a well-crafted career goals essay is more than just a formal requirement; it is a testament to your dedication and a roadmap guiding you toward your professional aspirations.

Receive our daily news straight to your inbox

Custom Essay, Term Paper & Research paper writing services

• testimonials

Toll Free: +1 (888) 354-4744

Email: [email protected]

Writing custom essays & research papers since 2008

Writing amazing career goals essay – full guide with examples.

Are you applying for a scholarship, or want to join a college? One of the crucial components that you need is a career goals essay. While it is no doubt an inspiring write-up, most students indicate that it’s a huge challenge. If you are stuck, relax because we are here to help.

In this post, we will provide you with a step-by-step guide on how to write a winning academic goals essay. And, we will also provide you with some future career goals essay examples to help you perfect your writing. Do not let that opportunity slip away: Grab it in style!

What is a Career Goals Essay?

Even before embarking on writing your career aspirations essay, it is of paramount importance to ask the question: “What exactly is it?” From its name, educational goals essay , it is clear that it is a type of writing that showcases what you want to achieve with your academics. Therefore, you should demonstrate personal career academic aspirations and current achievements that make you suitable for that scholarship or opportunity in the college.

The essay helps to tell the college admissions board or scholarship provider if what you want is relevant to the area you are applying for. To put it in short, the academic goals essay is your best shot at grabbing the opportunity at hand. Now, the only question remaining is: how? Check the next section for the answer.

How to Write a Top-Notch Careers Goal Essay

When writing an essay on career goals and aspirations, unlike other academic papers, you are writing about yourself. Therefore, you need to be factual, precise, and craft the short piece professionally.

• Write the essay using your style

Because the career plan essay is all about yourself, you should craft it in your style to showcase your goals and ambitions. This is important to ensure the admissions board can easily see through the mind. Let what you pen come from deep within you. No need to mimic others!

• Use a strong thesis statement

Like other types of essays, it is prudent to commence with a thesis point or the primary point. In this case, it is your career ambitions. Then, clarify what you anticipate to achieve. Further, demonstrate how you set the goals and the roadmap to achieving them.

• Use a clear structure

Having a good structure when writing an academic goals paper makes it easy for the admissions board to follow your thoughts. The reader is able to sail in the same boat with you. Although you will find some people claiming that such creative pieces do not need any strict structure, avoid falling victim to such assertions. Instead, make sure your thoughts are articulately presented.

• Be precise and relevant

This is perhaps one of the most important points. You should ensure that what you anticipate to realize aligns with the course or scholarship you are applying for. Be precise, and strike out anything you consider irrelevant!

Great Career Goals Essay Examples

Now that we have demonstrated how you should go about crafting a winning essay on career goals and aspirations, there is one more thing that you can do; learn from examples. You will find it very rewarding to read other top educational and career goals essay examples before starting to craft yours. To help you with this, we will provide you with one great sample. Have a look:

Special Education Teacher: Why This Is My Dream Career As a little girl, I always dreamt about having superpowers. If I had them, I would use them to make a difference by fighting crime. After growing up, and on the junction of making crucial decisions, I have established my destiny is being a Special Education Tutor. It is my way of making the world a better place. Why a tutor in special education? Here are the reasons To begin with, I truly love children. Staying with kids and molding their personalities is my passion. Yes, it takes a lot of work and commitment. But this is what I identify with and fancy. As a little girl, my teacher used me as a teaching aid. I also helped my parents when they started an early childhood school near our home. Therefore, I really appreciate the enormous task of mentoring kids. Now, I want to become that molding stone that kids can use to start their journey and walk to success. Also, I am an ambitious person. I love exploring and testing new ideas about kids and crafting realistic solutions. From preparing class schedules to organizing events, I enjoy every moment with children. My love for adventure will help me to make learning an enjoyable journey of personal exploration for the little minds. Finally, I want to become a special education tutor for extraordinary kids. I believe that every kid is special in one way or another. The hardships that come with this task do not scare me. But I see them as God-sent blessings. But to reach there, I have to sharpen my mind and get the right skills. That is why I look forward to this opportunity at your college. I am hopeful that one day, I will establish an institution that kids can look to gain knowledge and realize their passions. And all of this can become a reality with skills I will amass from your college. Looking forward to hearing from you.

Writing a Careers Goal Essay Is That Simple

From the above post, we have demonstrated “what are your career goals essay” and how to craft a piece that will get you a position in the college of choice. Using the sample and other scholarship essay examples on career goals, go ahead and craft a winning piece.

But, we are not going to lie here; many are the people who feel inadequate even with great guides. Well, it is not because they lack the skills, but out of uncertainty and anxiety. We understand your feelings. But this should not stand on the way to getting that scholarship or a position in that college of your dreams. Get writing help.

Writing help firms have top writers who are able to craft great academic goals essays to win you that opportunity of your dreams. Because this essay is so important, let a professional writer craft it for you.

Home — Essay Samples — Life — Career Goals — Career Goals for College Students

Career Goals for College Students

• Categories: Career Goals College Students

About this sample

Words: 507 |

Published: Feb 7, 2024

Words: 507 | Page: 1 | 3 min read

Table of contents

Introduction, the benefits of setting career goals, identifying career goals, developing a plan to achieve career goals, overcoming obstacles.

Cite this Essay

To export a reference to this article please select a referencing style below:

Let us write you an essay from scratch

• 450+ experts on 30 subjects ready to help
• Custom essay delivered in as few as 3 hours

Get high-quality help

Dr. Heisenberg

Verified writer

• Expert in: Life Education

+ 120 experts online

By clicking “Check Writers’ Offers”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy . We’ll occasionally send you promo and account related email

No need to pay just yet!

Related Essays

2 pages / 1101 words

1 pages / 769 words

1 pages / 547 words

3 pages / 1653 words

Remember! This is just a sample.

You can get your custom paper by one of our expert writers.

121 writers online

Still can’t find what you need?

Browse our vast selection of original essay samples, each expertly formatted and styled

Related Essays on Career Goals

Choosing a career path is one of the most important decisions we have to make in our lives. For me, my dream career is to become a successful entrepreneur. I have always been fascinated by the idea of owning my own business and [...]

Having been part of a rowing club for 4 years, I competed in national regattas and rowed recreationally when I needed to destress. This has developed my ability to be a team leader and a team player; as well as House Captain; a [...]

Nutrition is more than just a matter of satisfying hunger; it is a science that plays a crucial role in our overall health and well-being. As I embark on the journey to become a nutritionist, I am driven by a deep passion for [...]

10 Years of Excellence (2002 - 2012). (n.d.). Retrieved from A

One year ago I thought I knew everything I wanted for my future career and life. But, in reality the only thing I knew was that I was going to get a degree as a special education teacher and play basketball at some college, but [...]

Caring starts from childhood and grows as we become adults, it is a behavior that can be felt, taught and practised, if the person has the intention to take it in. Caring is considered as an important behavior in promoting [...]

Related Topics

By clicking “Send”, you agree to our Terms of service and Privacy statement . We will occasionally send you account related emails.

Where do you want us to send this sample?

By clicking “Continue”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy.

Be careful. This essay is not unique

This essay was donated by a student and is likely to have been used and submitted before

Download this Sample

Free samples may contain mistakes and not unique parts

Sorry, we could not paraphrase this essay. Our professional writers can rewrite it and get you a unique paper.

Please check your inbox.

We can write you a custom essay that will follow your exact instructions and meet the deadlines. Let's fix your grades together!

Get Your Personalized Essay in 3 Hours or Less!

We use cookies to personalyze your web-site experience. By continuing we’ll assume you board with our cookie policy .

• Instructions Followed To The Letter
• Deadlines Met At Every Stage
• Unique And Plagiarism Free

What Are Your Career Goals - How to Answer w/ [Examples]

You could say “What are your career goals?” is the adult version of “What do you want to be when you grow up?”

You probably even had a better idea of what to answer when you were 6.

You should channel that same level of confidence when talking about your career goals to an interviewer.

Easier said than done, right? Especially if you’re uncertain about what your goals are or what they should look like in the first place.

We know that struggle! To help you figure out your career goals (and answer the dreaded interview question), we compiled this guide.

• What is a Career Goal and Why is It Important to Have One
• The 4 Most Common Types of Career Goals
• Tips for Answering “What are Your Career Goals” and things to avoid saying
• 3+ Examples of How Your Answer Should and Should Not Look Like

So, let’s get started:

What is a Career Goal

Career goals are targets. Things, positions, situations related to your professional life that you have set your mind on achieving. 

They can be short-term, like getting a promotion or certification, or they can be long-term, like running your own successful business or being an executive at your dream company. 

No matter what they sound like, they should be this sort of prize that motivates you to get going in your career. 

Why Is It Important to Have a Career Goal (And Why Interviewers Care)

Firstly, the job interview aside, you should have a career goal simply because it’s beneficial to you . 

Not to impress the interviewer, your relatives, or your future Tinder date, but to improve yourself.

Having a career goal will keep you focused and keep you from getting stuck on a cycle where every day looks the same and you forget what you are working for in the first place. 

It gives you something to aim for, steps to follow, progress to make.

Now, back to the interviewer and why they’re asking the question. Your answer lets them know about two things:

• How long do you plan on working for them
• What motivates you to work

All interviewers are curious as to why you want to work for them, and they will ask you straight up about it. However, this question tells them something that the “Why do you want to work for us?” interview question doesn’t.

Your career goal will give them an idea as to what type of employee you will be - long term or short term. Is this position something that you will be staying in for a while, or is this a temporary stop until a better opportunity comes along? 

In 2020, hiring and training an employee costs between $4000-$7600 . Money that employers have no interest in investing in someone who will be working for them for no longer than two months.

Having a career goal also means you are not applying for a position just because the job ad randomly stumbled in your way and, being unemployed, you’d apply to just about anything so… here you are. 

If you have a goal that you want to achieve, it means that this interview was no accident and this job position really aligns with your aspirations. That means you will probably be more dedicated to the job, work harder, and have a great attitude. 

An alternative to the career goals question is “ Where do you see yourself in 5 years? ”. In both cases, interviewers are trying to get to the same point: your future.

4 Most Common Career Goals

Apart from the two main types - long term and short term - career goals can also be sorted into categories depending on their focus.

The 4 most common ones being:

Goals focused on professional advancement 

These goals are all about improving your work performance and being more efficient; getting better and faster at what you do and climbing higher up the ladder because of it. 

Short-term example: A sales agent increasing their monthly sales by x%

Long-term example: Make a senior partner at a top law firm.

Goals focused on leadership advancement

When it comes to leadership, there’s a lot of room for career advancement. These goals are all about improving your management skills and aiming for positions with more responsibilities.

Short-term example: Working my way up to the position of a manager at this restaurant. 

Long-term example: Working as an executive at X company.

Goals focused on educational advancement 

Whether you just graduated or you’re a full-on professional, there’s always more to learn. These goals are about keeping you up to date with the new developments in your field or just learning something new and different.

Short-term example: Learning a new programming language.

Long-term example: Finish medical school, complete a surgery residency program, and successfully earn a state license to practice medicine in no more than 11 years. 

Goals focused on personal development

These goals put emphasis on self-improvement and skills like networking or teamwork. Achieving them has a positive impact on your professional life, but they also show that you are more than just work work work.

Short-term example: Becoming more proactive within your company.

Long-term example: Improving your networking skills.

How to Answer - “What Are Your Career Goals?”

There really is no formula for getting this question right. There are, however, some tips we can give you to make sure your answer hits all the right spots.

Be relevant to the company.

Let’s say one of your goals at the moment is to get a certification from an online course in fictional writing. That’s an amazing goal, but if you are applying for a position as a sales manager, this certification is not going to help you a lot at the interview.

So what this means is, your answer to this interview question should be related to the position/company you’re applying for. 

• My goal has always been to be a Certified Public Accountant. In one year I will have finally fulfilled the education and experience requirements to enter the Uniform CPA Exam, which I’m very determined on passing.
• I’m only an amateur photographer, but my goal is to have my own exposition one day. Whenever I’m outside of work I try to dedicate myself to it as much time as possible so I can expand my portfolio. I think it’s cool for an accountant to be engaged in something else like photography, right?

Start with short-term goals and then move to long-term ones.

Short-term goals usually tend to be steps in the way of the bigger long-term goal. They’re also more specific and clear. 

When giving your answer, you can start talking about these goals, and then roll into the long-term ones. Your answer will sound much more logical and your plans well thought out. 

• I’m aiming to discover some new talented authors in the upcoming years. Delivering a bestselling book would help me establish my name as an editor in the publishing industry and help me gradually build a strong clientele of writers.
• My goal is to be the editor of some major writers. I can see myself delivering a bestselling series like Harry Potter in a few years.

Back your goals with an action plan

Laying out a list of goals doesn’t make for a very convincing answer. Instead, focus on one or two main goals and briefly explain how you plan on achieving them or how they will benefit your career in the long-term. This shows that you have thought these goals through and are clear about what you want in the future. 

For example, if your short-term goal is to learn a new programming language, explain how you will achieve that (certification or auto-didactic learning) and how that improves your work performance (does it allow you to work on more projects? Does the company you work for benefit from that?).

Elaborating on that last sentence: Focus on the employer.

Yes, they’re asking about your career goals, but at the end of the day, they care about their company’s best interest more. (No shocker here.) So, when talking about your goals make sure to express how achieving them will also be beneficial to your potential employer. Convince them it’ll be a win-win situation.

• I’m trying to find the appropriate time this year to enroll in a course for learning SAP FICO. It would help me as a financial analyst deliver more accurate reports, as well as help the company plan and monitor costs better.
• I’m aiming to improve the quality of my reports and analyses. I need to do some more research on how exactly I can do that, but for now, that’s my goal.

Preparation and Practice.

No matter how much you feel you have your future plans figured out, it’s still important to prepare for this question in advance. Think about some short-term and long-term goals, and take the time to practice your answer.

3+ Sample Answers to “What Are Your Career Goals”

If all that talk had you confused, here are 3 examples of answers that illustrate how to turn theory into practice.

Student/Intern Example

“Well, I’ll be graduating next year and I would love to start working in the marketing department of a company like yours right away. Apart from expanding my knowledge and experience in marketing, I also hope to improve my communication and public speaking skills. I really want to be a proactive and valuable team member.”

Short-term goal: Work in marketing after graduation.

Long-term goal: Be a proactive and engaged team member. 

Action plan: Earn more experience and knowledge in marketing and improve communication and public speaking skills. 

Professional Example

“I know that it’s become more and more helpful to know Python in the context of finance, so I plan on learning it this year. It will come in handy when solving portfolio optimization problems. As far as long-term goals, I would like to become a part-time professor at Y university. I have given some guest lectures there and really enjoyed it. The flexible hours are also very beneficial as they allow me to keep another job as well.”

Short-term goal and action plan: Learn Python in the finance context.

Long-term goal and action plan: Become a part-time professor at Y university.

Management Example

“At the moment I’m trying to improve my leadership skills so that I’m able to manage larger game design teams. I’ve only had experience as a lead designer so far, but I hope after a few years and some more experience I’ll be able to fully manage an entire project.”

Short-term goal: Manage larger game design teams. Long-term goal: Become project manager. 

Action plan: Improve leadership skills and gain more experience as game design lead. 

If you’re looking for sample answers to similar tricky interview questions, check out these 35+ Common Interview Questions and Answers .

4 Common Mistakes to Avoid When Answering “What Are Your Career Goals”

After covering the to-dos, let’s get to the NOT to-dos.

Here are 4 of the most common mistakes people make when answering “what are your career goals?”

Answer with “I have no goals”

There isn’t much to elaborate on this one, just.... don’t. 

Talk about salary

It’s okay for money to be your motivator. Hell, it’s the motivator for most people. You know that, we know that, the interviewer knows that, BUT that’s not what they want to hear and that’s not what you should say. 

For example, if you’re in the marketing industry and you want to get to a point where you have an annual salary of $70,000. You should look into what positions in your industry make that kind of earning and set them as your goal instead.

So, at the interview, instead of saying “My goal is to make $70,000 in salary by the time I’m 30”, go with “My goal is to be a content marketing director by the time I’m 30.”

Set unrealistic goals

This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t dream big. We fully support that reach-for-the-stars mindset. 

However, insisting that in 5 years you’ll be CEO of the company where you’re applying, when you just graduated a month ago… that doesn’t sit that well, especially with the interviewer. You will come off as arrogant and that definitely won’t get you through the door.

Get into too many specifics

Meaning, if your goal is being head of marketing for your dream company and that’s not the position or company you’re applying for, it would be best to not mention that. 

Doing so would let the interviewer know that your eyes are on another company and this position is temporary to you. Instead, you can just say that your goal is being head of a marketing department. No more details on who, where, what. 

There are a lot of other danger zones during interviews, so if you want to find out about them, here’s a guide on 26+ Biggest Interview Mistakes .

Key Takeaways

Whew, that was a lot to take in, right? 

When answering the “what are your career goals” interview question, here’s what you need to remember:

• Be relevant to the company. If your goals align with the needs of the company, or even better, the company benefits from them, you’ll have an advantage as a candidate.
• Explain how. Give some steps that you plan to follow to reach your goals. That will show that they are well thought and planned.
• Avoid the money talk. Instead of talking $ bills translate salary into an actual position. That sits better with the interviewer.

When it comes down to it, all the lists and tips don’t mean much if you don’t take time to properly prepare and practice, so don’t skip that part.

And if you want to practice more interview questions, we've prepared examples answers for you:

• Tell Me About Yourself
• Why Do You Want to Work Here?
• Why Should We Hire You?
• What Are Your Strengths and Weaknesses?
• What Is Your Greatest Strength?
• What Is Your Greatest Accomplishment?

Wait, that's not all! We've even got guides with tips on how to ace your next interview:

• Video Interview - Tips on How to Ace It
• Phone Interview Questions & Tips - How to Ace It
• How to Ace Interviews with the STAR Method [9+ Examples]
• Thank You Email After Interview

Suggested Readings:

• 101 Career Paths for Every Personality
• How to Craft an Elevator Pitch
• Salary Negotiation Tips

To provide a safer experience, the best content and great communication, we use cookies. Learn how we use them for non-authenticated users.

How to Write the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Supplemental Essays: Examples + Guide 2023/2024

TABLE OF CONTENTS

What are the university of illinois urbana-champaign supplemental essay prompts.

• How to write each supplemental essay prompt for University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
• Prompt #1: Short answer essays

Some students have a very clear sense of their academic and career interests. They might know what classes they want to take and may even have everything planned out for the next 5-10 years. If this is where you’re at, honestly, we’re impressed. 

Buuuut ... maybe you’re still testing the waters, trying to figure out what you’re interested in. That’s also totally fair. Not everyone has a 10-year plan.

Luckily, you can write the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) supplemental essays no matter where you fall on the spectrum. Want to get a better sense of what the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is looking for? You’ll find an extensive, by-the-numbers look at its offerings, from enrollment and tuition statistics to student life and financial aid information, on its Common Data Set . For deep insights into how this university envisions student success (and how it wants to grow and evolve), read its strategic priorities . Reading through this will give you a strong idea of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign’s values.

You'll answer two to three short-answer prompts as part of your application. The questions you'll answer will depend on whether you're applying to a major or to our undeclared program, and if you've selected a second choice. Each short-answer response should be no more than 150 words. If You're Applying to a Major: Explain, in detail, an experience you've had in the past 3 to 4 years related to your first-choice major. This can be an experience from an extracurricular activity, in a class you’ve taken, or through something else. (max 150) Describe your personal and/or career goals after graduating from UIUC and how your selected first-choice major will help you achieve them. (max 150)

If You're Applying to Our Undeclared Program: What are your academic interests and strengths? You may also include any majors you are considering. (max 150) What are your future academic or career goals? (max 150)

If You've Selected a Second-Choice Major (Including Undeclared): You have selected a second-choice major. Please explain your interest in that major or your overall academic or career goals. (max 150)

Optional: Academic Challenges Explain any challenges (outside of COVID-related) you have faced throughout your academic career, including the dates or timeline below. (max 300 words)

Optional: If you have a low grade or a drop in grades that you have not already explained, do so below. (max 300 words)

How to Write Each Supplemental Essay Prompt for University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

These prompts essentially ask you to expand on your academic interests. They’re pretty straightforward. If you’ve chosen a major, UIUC wants to know why that field of interest. If you’re undeclared, school officials still want to know more about your academic interests, so Option 2 is your chance to share. And anyone who’s shown an interest in a second major, here’s an extra 150 words to elaborate on that one. The big question here for each of the three is “why?” And, quite honestly, this is a great question to be asking—both for the essays and life.

However, “why” can often feel like an intimidatingly large question. Here are some smaller, more manageable questions you can ask yourself to get to the big one:

What academic subjects have I enjoyed in high school? What did I like about them?

Were there any projects, personal experiences, internships, or extracurricular activities that excited me in high school and made me want to know more about a subject?

What are resources, research opportunities, or classes at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign that look interesting or exciting to me?

Which UIUC professors would I like to work with or get to know better? What department do they work in?

What’s a question I find myself contemplating often? How would I go about finding an answer to it?

What skill sets do I want to develop? What would I do with those skills once I’d learned them?

With some of these things in mind, let’s take a second look at those three options.

• What are your future academic or career goals? (max 150)

All three options above are what we call “Why Major” essays. 

You’ll find a step-by-step guide to writing this type of essay at this link , which we recommend reading through, but here are some basic tips to get you started:

Tip #1: Make sure your answer complements your personal statement. What do we mean? If your personal statement is all about business and this one is all about dance, admission readers might be like, “Whaaaat?” So at least make sure the values you show in the personal statement are values that would serve you in the major/field/career(s) you mention here. 

Tip #2:  Just because you explicitly name a major in this essay doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t change it later. At most schools, you have flexibility to change your mind. (Quick note: This isn’t true at all programs at all schools, so be sure to a) Google it first, then b) check in with the school to make sure, if you’re unsure.) That being said, try to keep your answer as clear and straightforward as possible. Even if you’re not totally sure what you want your major or area of study to be, picking one or two you feel strongly about can help you figure out what to say in this essay.

Tip #3: Imagine a mini-movie of the moments that led you to your interest and create a simple, bullet-point outline. Here’s an example of what this might look like:

1) Elementary school: Getting my first dinosaur toy and reading dinosaur books

2) Middle school: Visiting museums, seeing water under a microscope

3) High school: Doing online research, getting internship where we analyzed brainwaves and dissected a stingray

Tip #4: Put your moments (aka the “scenes” of your mini-movie) in chronological order, as it’ll help you see how your interests developed. It also makes it easier to write transitions. Maybe try putting one “scene” per short paragraph to make it clear when you’re moving the story forward.

Tip #5: Expand on the impact of your intended major or areas of interest. Here are some ways to think about impact:

Numbers . Perhaps what you choose to talk about has a particularly shocking statistic. Maybe your interest in that topic inspired you to do something that had a significant numerical effect. Consider adding specific numbers to bolster your claims and give your readers a sense of magnitude.

Anecdotal evidence of impact, or quotations . Impact doesn’t have to be quantitative to convey urgency, importance, or power. The more of you that you put in your essay, the better.

Personal impact (on you, the author) in the form of lessons learned, skills gained. It’s especially interesting to note if these skills transferred to other areas of your life. 

Tip #6: Write it long first, then cut it. In our experience, this tends to be easier than writing a very short version and then trying to figure out what to add. The tricky part here is that, unlike earlier versions of these UIUC prompts, you only get 150 words per option. So think about that as you work through the tips above.

Here’s a great example of a prior-year UIUC essay (when word count was longer), with tips and analysis below for how it could be tweaked to fit this prompt.

I’ve long wanted to know why I stuttered with a nine-year-old brain but not with a thirteen-year-old brain. One summer, I had the opportunity to use EEG machines to measure signals from the brain and correlate them to certain letters in the alphabet. The experience made me realize I have even more questions about the brain that I’d like to answer, and UIUC’s dynamic cognitive psychology and neuroscience program is the best place for me to get those answers. My high school classes, like computer science, music theory, philosophy, and statistics, introduced me to the ways in which these fields can be interconnected through cognitive science.  Now I’m hungry to study how the brain itself works and how it helps store language, music, memory and perception. As a psychology major at UIUC, I’d love to take classes like Social Cognition and Perception and Sensory Processes to learn about how unconscious processes lead to our perceptions of the world. I’m also excited about the opportunity to apply as a research assistant to the Cognition and Brain Lab, learning firsthand about brain electrical activity and its relationship to language. I’d also like to study under Professor Aber and learn what influences an individual’s understanding of race and how to design effective programs to promote community development. I hope to apply this learning to ChessOpenDoors, the nonprofit I founded to provide children access to a community that spans geographies, classes, religions, and even generations. I want to learn from Professor Aber’s research on contextual influences on individuals' understanding of race in public school settings, and use it to help make ChessOpensDoors an example of how collaborative community-based programs can promote community development through public schools. My belief is that, in these troubled times, understanding the brain and diversity science can fundamentally improve the way we communicate and help mend race relations. As a fourth-generation Illini whose great-grandfather emigrated from China to Illinois in 1918, I would use my time at UIUC to focus on learning about the practical steps we can take to change perception in race relations and better listen to one another. (350 words) — — — 

Tips + Analysis:

Get to the point. If this student were writing for the current prompt, he’d have only 150 words to do what he did here in 350. When every word counts, consider cutting “fluff” words or phrases that don’t add value to the story of you . E.g., “My belief is that” can be “I believe.” “The experience made me realize” becomes “I realized.” Pro tip: You don’t want to start every sentence of your essay with “I” statements, so consider how you can vary your sentences but still concisely make an impact.

Consider depth over breadth. This student chose to explore several psychology-related interests in his essay—cognitive science at the beginning and race relations/diversity science at the end. In a shorter essay, he might’ve chosen to focus on his ultimate goal of changing perceptions in race relations, using his mini-movie to show how he’s developed that interest. You can do the same by going deep on how you’ve explored one topic versus how you’ve pursued a number of interests that may be only tangentially related.

Tie it all together—or don’t. This student opens with a compelling lead: Why did he stutter at 9 but not at 13? But he ends by talking about race relations. In a longer essay, where he’s able to go wide (see tip No. 2 above), this works. In a shorter essay, the disparity might leave the reader unsatisfied, having not learned the answer. There are two ways to approach this. The first is to go with a simple, to-the-point opening, like “I want to study psychology to change perceptions in race relations,” and dive in headfirst from there. The other is to tie your hook in with your closing. So if you start with stuttering, maybe end with it, too? Or if you end with changing perceptions and improving communications, maybe develop a must-read lead that complements it?

Here’s another great UIUC-specific essay (again, for when UIUC’s prompts had a longer word count).

Perhaps the academic opportunity I’ve valued most at Phillips Academy has been Astronomy, especially spending evenings this past fall in the Science Center’s Observatory and using the Schmidt-Cassegrain reflector telescope. Observing the cosmos as the Observatory’s dome rotated 360 degrees made me realize how much bigger the universe actually is and that my point of view in everyday life on Earth is infinitesimal compared with what’s happening across the galaxy. I reveled in witnessing the Crab Nebula in its infancy stage emitting vivid colors, and I’ve been amazed that stars that are so far from Earth can nonetheless be so bright and clear. That I was able to observe something so rare made me thirst for more. I’d love to pursue a deeper understanding of space exploration and the cosmos, and Illinois’ dynamic Observational Astronomy and Computational Astrophysics program offers a perfect opportunity. As an astronomy major at UIUC, I’d dive deep into understanding celestial mechanics with classes like Stellar Astrophysics . I’d especially like to learn why mass transfer only can happen at the inner Lagrange point (where the two Roche lobes meet). The Star Formation course would teach me how supernovae create the building blocks of life by dying. I can’t wait to take Observational Astronomy and study pulsars that emit electromagnetic waves other than visible light. I’d also like to learn more about ways we can try to harness the tremendous energy produced by solar flares in Theoretical Stellar Physics , and I hope to study how modelling of the sun can be used to predict solar cycles. Through classes such as Computing in Astronomy and its accompanying laboratory work, I could also develop strong data analysis and computer programming skills, which would have wide applicability beyond my lessons in astronomy.   I’m especially excited about the opportunity to pursue my budding curiosity about the cosmos in an independent research project under the guidance of an expert like Professor Fields. I think it’s fitting that Solar Cycle 25 is now underway and is expected to peak in 2025, coinciding with the time I hope to graduate as an Illini and make an impactful contribution to our understanding of the universe. (360 words) — — —

Consider your goals. Previously, UIUC only suggested students connect their desired major with their future career goals in their response. This student chose not to. So while he paints a clear picture of what he wants to learn as an astronomy major, he doesn’t quite connect that with a specific career goal. This year’s prompt is more direct, so we’d expect his revised response to elaborate on what he wants to do post-college and how an astronomy degree will help him do that.

Tell a story. Whether it was one pivotal moment or a succession of smaller events, there’s almost always a reason you’ve chosen the major you have. UIUC wants to hear that story. What’s the event that made you question everything (and why)? How has your curiosity led you to new experiences? New questions? New loves? This student’s astronomy class was his pivotal moment, but are there also other things he did to quench his “thirst for more”? UIUC wants to know.

Identify the impact your experiences have had on you. For this student, astronomy has been about more than identifying stars or watching their life cycle. It’s caused him to think philosophically (How do supernovae create life by dying?) and environmentally (Can the power emitted by solar flares be captured and used on Earth?). UIUC loves to hear how your interests result in critical, creative thinking that’ll help you answer new questions outside the classroom.

It’s normal to be unsure. It’s entirely possible that the student above isn’t 100% convinced he wants to be a modern-day Copernicus or Galileo—and that’s perfectly OK. College is a time for exploration (and we don’t just mean space exploration), and we hope you find new interests during those four years. So if you’re not confident in your major, you can just as effectively discuss an academic area you’re interested in learning more about. We’d bet you can’t tell whether the student above is a confident astronomy major or simply a student who’s curious about the world around (and above) him, and we don’t need to.

Here’s another great example for this prompt. It was originally written for another school with a 250-word limit, but it still shows what you can do with a prompt like this (and a shorter word count, though you’ll have 100 fewer to work with). 

Bonus Example 1:

My interest in Gender and Sexuality Studies was sparked in my eighth grade Civics class when we studied topics pertaining to sexual equality. I went into the class knowing I believed women had a right to make choices for their own bodies and that view remained the same, but I discovered the complexity of abortion debates. I challenged myself by thinking about the disparity between actual and potential personhood and the moral rights of unconscious lives. If pregnancy had the same consequences for men as it does women, how might the debate be different? Would this debate even exist?  A year later, I shadowed an OB/GYN at a nearby hospital. On my first shift, I watched an incarcerated woman receive a postpartum exam after giving birth in her cell toilet with just Advil, and the issues discussed in Civics suddenly became urgent and real. My school projects have often focused on reproductive rights. I’ve spent numerous hours delving into summaries of Supreme Court cases on abortion and contraception, and am even known as the “Tampon Fairy” at school because I frequently restock the school bathrooms with tampons and condoms.   I’m interested in exploring how Gender and Sexuality Studies connect to Public Health and Reproductive Biology, as well as Public Policy and Law. The interdisciplinary nature of this major will allow me to investigate many other areas of study and create a more nuanced understanding of how this particular field interacts with our world and society.  — — —

You can include a thesis in the first paragraph. This isn’t true for all college essays, but for this essay, this approach totally works. And the great thing here is that you know exactly what this student is interested in from the first sentence of her first paragraph.  

Connect the dots. If you look at the first sentence in each paragraph of this piece, you’ll notice that each focuses on a specific experience or moment in time. As we read through the essay, we see how the author has developed her interest in different settings and contexts. That narrative structure helps propel the piece forward and keeps readers engaged. If you do the “scene” outlining strategy mentioned in the general tips above, putting your essay into this structure should be relatively easy.

Consider using imagery. You don’t need to explain the nitty gritty details of every internship you’ve ever had or every class you’ve ever taken to explain why it meant something to you. Note how this author does an incredible job of showing how civics issues became “urgent and real” for her after watching an “incarcerated woman receive a postpartum exam after giving birth in her cell toilet with just Advil.” That image stops us in our tracks. The fact that this student so clearly remembers this moment and how it changed her thinking is powerful. Using anecdotes or descriptions of specific experiences is a wonderful way to emphasize meaningful growth.

Describe relevant personal experiences. This student uses the third paragraph in her essay to expand on how she’s acted on her interest in Civics and Gender and Sexuality Studies. She’s done hours of reading about abortion and contraception while becoming the widely known “Tampon Fairy” at her high school. You don’t have to include statistics or numbers to demonstrate impact (although you definitely can). Personal anecdotes and moments of reflections can be just as powerful.

End with what’s next. Although the first part of your essay might convey a clear thesis statement that answers the question in the prompt, your conclusion can explore nuance as you look ahead. For example, in this essay, the author uses the conclusion as a place to reflect on how her interest in Gender and Sexuality may intersect with other areas of study and how that might provide her with a more nuanced understanding of the knowledge she’s already gleaned. This conveys a sense of curiosity and an openness to new experiences that she’ll carry with her to college and beyond.

Here’s another great essay. It was also written for another school, but it’s still an excellent example of what you can do when answering this prompt.

Bonus Example 2:

At heart, I’m both regulatory bureaucrat and capitalistic entrepreneur.  Coming from a small business-owning family, I’ve grown up finding ways to one-up the competition, from boosting website search ranking with unconventional SEO to negotiating with book suppliers to cut costs. After all, our rent depends on our profits.  However, I also hold enormous respect for regulation. I vividly remember seeing my second grade classmate Nelson sprawled on the asphalt in front of the Chinese school we attended, accidentally run over by his teacher. I later discovered that afterschool was unlicensed: no safety training, no inspections, nothing. Years later, when my mother opened her own afterschool business, I filed the licensing documents and installed government-mandated guardrails. Though burdensome, regulation is crucial.  The afterschool industry taught me the inseparability of business and policy, but also sparked my curiosity concerning how political economics can leverage that relationship for maximal social benefit. In my Democratic Party internship, I examined how to incentivize below-market-rate housing construction without reducing overall supply. At FBLA Nationals, I delivered a presentation on management practices to reduce oil spills, increasing profits while meeting environmental standards. CMU strikes me as surprisingly similar to the afterschool industry: an environment where learning occurs through doing and where business and policy can be explored in tandem. I’m excited by the new Economics and Politics degree, which would allow me to take Tepper’s and Dietrich’s classes concurrently. I’d love to attend the Washington Semester Program, applying my education to policy at a greater scale than I am currently. And I’m intrigued by electives like Coffee and Capitalism, using my favorite drink as a microcosm of commerce and geopolitics.  Whether I become a leader in the afterschool industry or an elected official regulating it, I know CMU will enable this Capitalist Bureaucrat to catalyze purposeful impact.  — — —

Consider starting with a powerful one-liner. The first sentence of this essay is great. It’s sort of cryptic, smart, and a little funny, and it makes you want to keep reading. It also acts as a clever thesis. The Bonus Example 1 (see above) offers a more straightforward thesis; this one is a bit more subtle. Both ways can work. It also was really smart of this author to make the first line its own paragraph. The white space in between sets it apart and magnifies its impact.

Make it personal. Even though this prompt is asking you to expand on an academic interest, make an effort to weave non-academic details about your life into the piece. This author is mainly talking about his passion for business and policy, but he’s also able to incorporate information about his family and upbringing. The little details about his mom’s afterschool business or the moment he saw his Chinese classmate hurt make the essay more personal. They make us feel like we know the author at a deeper level, and that primes us to more readily engage with the rest of his piece.

Demonstrate how you took initiative. The author here has done some incredible things. He gave a public presentation at FBLA Nationals and did a Democratic Party internship. He’s also used his knowledge to help his mom deal with regulatory hassles in her own business. He’s showing how he took an interest and rolled with it. Use this answer as a space to talk about the incredible things you’ve done.

(Selectively!) use words and phrases that show you know your stuff. The author uses a lot of terms associated with economics and business in his essay (“regulatory bureaucrat” and “capitalistic entrepreneur” in just the first line). His use of these terms is a subtle way of signaling to readers that he has a firm grasp on what he’s talking about. You don’t want to use too much jargon, because that risks confusing (and alienating) your reader, but throwing in some subject-specific words here and there adds credibility and dimensionality to your essay.

OPTIONAL ESSAY PROMPTS

It’s fine to treat these as truly optional—don’t try to force anything if it feels like you’re stretching things.

That said, if there are either any non-COVID challenges you’ve faced in your academic career, or a drop in grades not explained elsewhere, it can be useful to offer some context and detail.

If you do so, a few pointers:

Be direct. You can treat these prompts as largely informational. These are the school’s way to gain more information and understanding about your experiences and how you’ve dealt with and been affected by any challenges and obstacles. So while you can play with things like a fancy hook if you really want to,  you’re totally fine being simple and straightforward with how you write these. To that end…

Simple structure is great here. You can use a basic narrative approach and roughly split these into thirds, focused on the challenge + effects, what you did about it, and what you learned. That’s especially useful for the second option—you aren’t offering excuses, but instead are providing straightforward context for what occurred. As such, the what you did and what you learned parts are generally more important.

Want advice on dozens of other supplemental essays? Click here

Special thanks to Julia for contributing to this post.

Julia published her first “book” on the elusive Pika in elementary school and has been writing fervently ever since. She’s thrilled to unite her quirky love of grammar and master’s in psychology to help students tell their most meaningful stories. Her favorite punctuation mark is the apostrophe because, in the words of Imagine Dragons, it’s “a symbol to remind you that there’s more to see.”

Top values: Collaboration | Family | Productivity

You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser to improve your experience and security.

Undergraduate Admissions

Deadline Update: We want to ensure anyone applying for federal financial aid has enough time to make an informed decision regarding their college choice! For this reason, we're extending our enrollment decision deadline to May 15.

Writing Prompts for First-Year Applicants

Following are our writing prompts for first-year students applying for fall 2025 admission. Writing prompts for fall 2024 will be announced in August.

Major-Specific Prompts

You'll answer two to three prompts as part of your application. The questions you'll answer will depend on whether you're applying to a major or to our undeclared program , and if you've selected a second choice . Each response should be approximately 150 words . If you're applying through Common App, you'll find our major-specific writing prompts in the "Writing" tab of our supplemental questions after adding us as one of your colleges.

If You're Applying to a Major :

• Explain, in detail, an experience you've had in the past 3 to 4 years related to your first-choice major. This can be an experience from an extracurricular activity, in a class you've taken, or through something else.
• Describe your personal and/or career goals after graduating from Illinois and how your selected first-choice major will help you achieve them.

If You're Applying to Our Undeclared Program in the Division of Exploratory Studies:

• What are your academic interests? Please include 2-3 majors you're considering at Illinois and why.
• What are your future career or academic goals? You may include courses you took in high school and how these impacted your goals.

If You've Selected a Second-Choice Major (Including Undeclared ):

• Please explain your interest in your second-choice major or your overall academic or career goals.

Essay Prompts

You'll also answer one essay prompt as part of your application. Prompts are the same whether you apply through myIllini or the Common App. Select and answer the prompt of your choice from the full list found on the Common App website . Your essay response can be anywhere from 250 to 650 words total.

Want more info?